The Day I Was Born
by biacebaolck
Summary: The day they were born, Fate thought something special of them, and that is why it had them meet when they were young. But it doesn't really matter, because Life has a way of making you crawl back into the hole you came from. So does reality. NaruHina
1. The Day I Was Born

**Author's Note: This was quite random. I was just experimenting on stuff and just started typing the beginning, and then thought, 'Gee, this'd make a nice story for NaruHina', or something like that. So, I went back, added 'Hyuuga Hinata' at top and then started changing the story a bit and adding a few extras and then rewriting it to make it this. Please likey.**

**The Day I Was Born**

_**By: biacebaolck**_

Hyuuga Hinata

The day I was born…

…he told me _hello_.

Hello? Yes, hello.

The day I was raised and followed orders…

…he told me _good girl_.

Good girl? Yes, good girl.

The day I forgot and was a troublemaker…

…he told me _bad girl_.

Bad girl? Yes, bad girl.

I stopped being bad. Because I didn't really like it. Didn't like it at all. NOPE. Didn't like it. I didn't like being called bad, getting yelled at, getting spanked. I didn't like the horrid man he had become. But I liked him when he was nice.

The day I nearly was going to die…

…he told me _goodbye_.

Goodbye?

…

…NO. NOT goodbye.

He smirked, and I could tell instantly, he'd been using me. Using me? Yes, using me. I could tell…because he was the one who killed me.

Hands around my throat, tightening as I gasped for air, begged with the little breath I still had… Psychotically, he believed he was right and I was wrong. He believed himself strongest, and I the weakest.

The day I died…no…

The day I was nearly going to die…

…someone else **_saved me_**.

Not an angel, with pure white wings like the dove and with long flowing hair and a kind and comforting look in his eyes; And a radiate smile as warm as the sun.

Not the devil, with fangs, black webbed wings like the bat with short, choppy hair and a glint of evil in his eyes; And a devilish smile waiting to tear me apart.

He was a human, with normal features. He was short for his age, that, he was. He had blond hair like an angel and twinkling laughing eyes, yet he had the air of the devil, mischievous and troublemaking, yet lovable.

It was love at first sight.

He was just like me, only a little taller than me…yet he fought just equal to that older boy's strength. That older boy was 16. He was 6. A ten year difference, and yet he still won, the older boy running away, cursing, _demon! DEMON! **DEMON!** _

The boy was unfazed, but he still held a hurt look, as he wandered back to me.

_Your name?_

His grin was unlike any other. In the Hyuuga compound, you don't see any smiles. There aren't any. So, it was his grin that attracted me the most of all I guess… My soul threw away that mask… The deeper me…scared, and…a little…

_You know…_ _You should…_ _…Let your wings soar…_

**He smiled.**

A smile so radiant, I loved it.

I had to smile back…and that is just what I did.

He grinned, before flicking my nose. And he cheerily added, _Because you're just like a caged bird! Spread your wings, do what's right! And don't give a care if sadness takes you over, okay? Because you're special! Plus…_ He clammered back over the wall in which he had climbed in from and I watched in wide-eyed innocence. _You're pretty cute!_ He chirped, before vaulting over to the other side.

That was the last time I saw that boy…

…until I reached Academy.

There, I learned his name was Uzumaki Naruto.

He never _did_ get my name, and I suppose he must've forgotten, but…

Whever I remember that time, I swear…

…the day I was born…

…somehow fate let me meet him.

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto

The day I was born…

…there was no one.

No one? Yes, no one.

No one to help me, no one to teach me, and everyone to ridicule me.

The day I was raised by myself…

…I was always alone by myself.

Alone? Yes, all alone.

Alone, sitting alone every night, watching the moon appear in the night sky and watching the sun set and rise. It's just a matter of how you solve this loneliness. I don't care. But I know I'm not the only one alone. I see everyone everyday walking with someone else, be they child or parent, ninja or villager, kid or adult.

The day I decided enough was enough…

…I was always known as a prankster.

Prankster? Yes, prankster.

I loved the attention. Be it horrible screaming and attempts to kill me, I got a thrill from a good prank. Revenge you could say. Sweet revenge. It was rather quite lovely, you know. It was lovely, a spectacle. And did you know it took me two and a half years planning for the prank on Hokage mountain? And I knew I'd get caught, I wasn't stupid. So I thought I'd wait until Academy, you know? After I got all that ninja info.

Ninjas were cool, respected, and I wanted to be respected to. I wanted to be loved. That's why I entered Academy, you know? For some reason, Old Man Hokage let me in. I like him because of that. He's cool! That's why I wanna be Hokage! Everyone respects him, so if I become one too, then I'll be respected too!

You'll have to be strong for that, so that's what I'm going to do. I'll be stronger than them all! After all, I'm the future Hokage! Heheh!

The day I walked by those stuck-up white-eyes' place…

…I heard a weak begging and a loud voice proclaiming…

That they were going to kill.

Kill? Yes, Kill. Kill who? I didn't know, but it didn't matter.

It reminded me of all those attempts people tried to kill me off with and pretend it was an accident. Probably. I didn't like that. Nope, not at all. I scrambled over the wall. I had some ninja training, so it was okay, sorta, but it really hurt.

I leapt onto that guy's back and started to jump on him. He let go of that little girl's neck and tried to kill me instead, recognizing me for the demon. Back then, I didn't know about it, but now I do, and so what? I don't give a damn. I'm not going to dwell in the past! I'm in the FUTURE! I'll be future Hokage!

But since I wasn't Hokage then, I got to play dirty, including the advantage I was smaller.

He chased me around, I managed to fought him off, but when he pinned my arms behind my back, my front against the wall, I kicked back and hit him right _there._ It wasn't much, just brushed a little, but he whimpered, and let go of me immediately, eyeing my warily.

_Demon…you think you can—_

I got him to chase me and then leapt onto this huge beam where I had the idea—I loosened up the rope that held it up and it wacked him in the balls, and then the nuts and then the face. He ran off screaming, _demon! DEMON! **DEMON!** _

Baby.

Anyway, I told the girl that she should, you know… Be free. She looked so scared back there I couldn't help but feel so sorry for her. You know? Even _IF_ she was one of those snobby white-eyes that keep on ridiculing me.

She wasn't snobby, but so big-eyed, innocent…kinda cute, y'know?

She held onto my words, word for word, and I couldn't help but feel embarrassed for saying such corny lines, but seriously, though, when I said it, you'd think it was the first time she heard something like this! And when I grinned, nervously, if I might add, she seemed to relax and feel happier.

That's good.

So, when I left her, she was practically beaming.

I wonder what happened to her, eh?

The memory's a little fuzzy…I forget a bit what she looked like, you know?

I never really saw her again…I don't know if those snobby Hyuuga hit her or something, there are rumours that Hyuuga are real strict, you know? I hope she didn't get spanked. Getting hit with a broom on your butt really hurts. TRUST ME. I've had it more than ten times.

Anyway, I was still in Academy, but never really managed to pass for some reason. It was real annoying. Everyone kept on laughing, but at least their attention was on me. That was good. So that was how it got to the point that, whenever someone mentioned _troublemaker_ and/or _prankster_, it was automatically another word for: Uzumaki Naruto!

Heheh…

It's a nice life.

Though, why the heck…I wonder…was it…was it okay…? Iruka-sensei had made me stay in to practise my transformation jutsu, but I ditched and set up a prank as distraction. That wasn't to say as I walked back from saving the girl, feeling awfully good about myself, that he caught me.

Stupid Iruka-sensei…

…but, you gotta love his funny faces.

Haha!

Seriously though…life has a strange reasoning. When I met Hyuuga Hinata…she looked awfully familiar, you know?

But that was our first meeting! Right? Right?

…right?

Though, she's weird, she'd look cuter if she looked me in the eye…I wonder why she doesn't? And what's with all the finger twittering…?

Ah well, Kakashi-sensei's here! Stupid baka sensei…always late…


	2. The Day I Was Born Pt2

**Author's Note:**** For some reason, I felt guilty. This was supposed to be a oneshot, but I'm easy to push around that way… And I'm not planning on Updating **Valentine's Day** anytime soon, peoples! ONESHOT! STANDALONE! ONE CHAPTER! This was supposed to be like that, but when I see so many alerts on my oneshots, I'm like…oh noes…there goes some more innocent folks or some people who really know how to take charge of guilt.**

**If you guys like this, really, really like this, I suppose I'll try to update, lol… But then again, I already have about, what? One, two, three…FIVE major stories to update? Damn, I suck. I keep on updating, and well, oh well…**

**This little chappie's for you both,** inoshika** and **Rebellia** for both reviewing, but mostly for **Rebellia **because of that alert and review…lol…I'll try finishing it up, but only if I can get reviews that give me inspiration!**

_Put in a different view from last chapter, so it might be a lot easier to follow..._

What format did you like better?

**

* * *

**

**The Day I Was Born Pt2**

_**By: biacebaolck**_

Today was a normal day for Team 7.

To sum up what happened in one little paragraph and to not bore you to death, here's what happened:

1, Kakashi came late… (_AGAIN?!)_

2, Sakura and Naruto both let him have it… (_Sakura-chan first, of course! I, Uzumaki Naruto, will come after my beloved Sakura-chan!)_

3, And right now, Naruto's still letting him have it. (_TEN MINUTES AND COUNTING!)_

"HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU?!" Naruto was screaming at the top of his lungs to Kakashi who really couldn't care less except for the fact that his eardrums were about to burst into a million little pieces that Kakashi fangirls would be picking up in groups and annoying ones who try to rip his clothes off, especially his mask. Yup, couldn't care less. "HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO CROSS A _**ONE MILE**_, _**ONE WAY**_ ROAD?!"

"Shut up, dobe." Sasuke growled, but he too was irked at Kakashi. Only slightly. After all, he was an Uchiha. He had a reputation to maintain. Plus, if he acted angry, then the fangirls would think he was human, and acting human was a taboo when many fangirls followed you home from your missions everyday. Creepy.

"NARUTO, _**SHUT UP!**_" Sakura hit him, but that only made Naruto whimper, clutching his head soundly.

"But Sakura…cha…n." He trailed off when he realized she wasn't paying attention to him. Damn. Well, he'd think of something. "Hey! Sasuke-teme! ME! YOU! Battle for Sakura-chan's heart!"

"What are you talking about, dob—" Sasuke began, truly irked. He didn't care about Sakura. Was Naruto _that_ stupi—oh, right, he _was._

"HA!" Naruto, full healed from Sakura's punch, pointed an accusing finger at Sasuke. Sasuke longed to burn that finger…oh, yes, burn it with that fire jutsu he had learned from his father before the entire clan was wiped out by his oh-so-psychotic brother who surprisingly still had more fangirls than him who were in the same village as him, that still chased him for some reason. "CHICKEN-BUTT HEADED TEME IS _**SCA-ARED**_!"

"Naruto, SHUT UP!" Sakura roared, but Naruto only continued to taunt Sasuke.

"Oh, are you scared, are you, you big fat chicken, you!" Naruto proceeded to turn around and whap his butt at Sasuke. "HA! Big butt's sca-ared! Big butt's—"

Sasuke snapped.

"_**CHIDORIIIIIIIIIII!**_"

"HEY! WAIT A SECOND! YOU AREN'T—YOU HAVEN'T LEARNED THAT YET!"

"…"

"…uh, Sasuke? Why've…hey… What're you—"

"_**A THOUSAND KUNAI OF DEATH!**_"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!"

Yup. A normal day for Team 7, MINUS the Chidori part. That was created just to add humour.

And so is me talking to you. Imagine, the Narrator talking to YOU! Ha! A laugh, right?

…stop throwing those tomatoes, people! I'm going, I'm doing my job, PLEASE STOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!!

Thanks.

Oh, and yeah, that day, Naruto came back to his apartment, his kunai wounds having already been healed and the kunai thrown back at Sasuke who was, of course, such a genius he caught them all with only fifty-nine wounds from them. Most of his wounds still on, about, uhm… 99.9999999999999999999 percent of it belonging to Sakura… They hurt like crazy.

Yup.

"DAMN!" Naruto howled to no one in particular as he threw open his apartment door, the lock having rusted ages ago and broke, the only way to get inside the apartment was apparently, you had to have Naruto's temper and precise amount of power put behind that force if you didn't want to break the door and if you wanted to get it open in the first place.

Kicking off his shoes at the doorway and leaving his door open, he would get it closed later, though, it wasn't like anything worth stealing was in the place… He made his way to the small couch, throwing his jacket aside and grumbling, letting himself fall back, in a kinda slouchy position on the couch, taking up the whole seating allowance.

"I _**hate**_Sasuke-teme I _**hate **_Kakashi-sensei I _**hate **_Sakura-ch—" So caught up his frustration, he nearly said that he hated the girl he tried to love everyday, despite the fact that she was that Sasuke-teme's brainwashed by too much TV and shoujo manga follower. "…" After a long while of silently hurting himself painfully and punishing him in his mind, Naruto gave a sigh and ruined his spine worse by slouching worse sideways.

"I wish…"

He stared up at the ceiling.

"I wish SOMEONE liked me…"

It was a long time before he moved again, leaping off the couch and landed with a hard _THU-UMP_ on the badly-scratched-through-the-years hardwood floor that shook the entire floor in the apartment and maybe the entire floor on his level.

Silently, Naruto counted…

…1…

2…

3…

4…

…5—

"HEY, BRAT, KEEP IT DOWN UP THERE!" His neighbour downstairs howled, as well as the yelling of curses about the stupid demon living above him. The fat man downstairs didn't mention the fact that the rent was about 99 percent off, just because Naruto lived RIGHT upstairs above him. The same thing went for the other apartments on the same level as the blond's and the one apartment diagonal down from his.

Naruto's apartment was like this.

You ran up the four flights of stairs until you reached the top level, then you walked all the way to the other side of that level, looked left, you would see a nice view of Konoha as the whole building was built on a slightly higher foundation, and to the right, you would see a badly, mistreated door, the other doors on the level looking quite lovely in comparison, even though they were only the rank of a 2 star motel.

Back to Naruto and the fat man that lived downstairs, alright?

"…" Naruto just folded his arms, staring at the floor a few inches away from where his bare feet were on the floor. A slight twitching of the corners of his lips was barely evident. After a while, Mr. Toshiro stopped yelling, and he must've went back to sit his fat behind on the squished couch in front of the TV and watch stupid shows that were totally fake.

Naruto hated TV.

…after all…

Those action movies and flicks that every villager and non-ninja said were '_AWESOME' _and '_TEH PWNS'_, and all that?

…

After all, being a ninja…it was downright boring.

You stared at bloody gory stuff that absolutely screamed, "_**KETCHUP-THICK LIQUIDED BLOOD THAT ABSOLUTELY MUST BE KETCHUP THICKENED UP AND COMBINED WITH THE STUFF AND COLOUR THEY MAKE RED LIPSTICK FROM!**_"

Sorry about that—

Naruto bent his knees and crouched down real low.

Before jumping up, not as tall as the ceiling, even though he could've broken through it easily—it dripped during heavy rain storms sometimes and Naruto had to refix it with spare planks of rotten wood thrown out by the other villagers because: a) he was far too lazy to waste his money and buy the stuff; b) they wouldn't let him in the store; c) and someone always removed the wood for some reason…

Anyway, he jumped up and crashed down onto the floor, softening his landing slightly so he wouldn't crash right through it—after all, it was pretty bad quality wood that someone had obviously thrown out but the owners of this building took and just gave it to the construction workers to pin down as well.

Though, the noise was pretty loud.

And Mr. Toshiro taught the whole building about a million new curses, banshee shrieks and swear words. Oh yeah, he also taught the whole neighbourhood within a 50-mile radius.

"**YOU DAMN BRAT YOU SHOULD F(CENSORED) YOU S(CENSORED) PR(CENSORED) (CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED CENSORED)**!!!!!" He screamed from downstairs.

"OH YEAH?!" Naruto hollered back at the floor. "SHUT UP! TRY AND RUN AND CATCH ME, FATTY!"

…

"**I DON'T **_**CARE**_** WHAT THE LORD HOKAGE'S LAW WAS! I'll **_**KIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIILLLLLLL **_**YOU AND IF I FAIL, I'M _MOVING_!!"**

And that is how the fifty-ninth guy left the building for good and another poor sucker moved in under Naruto.

* * *

Naruto sighed as he watched Mr. Toshiro move away with his stuff, leaning against the railing, arms folded on top. That guy had stayed the longest and he'd miss that man. After all, Mr. Toshiro had been the first to stay a full year and a half living under him.

'_NOW what am I going to do to get stress out?'_ He thought, at '_HIS CORNER'_ of the rail bar, as the other tenants preferred to call it, though they didn't touch any place on the rail that Naruto had touched. It '_reeked of demon'_ as they put it. "Ah well…" He murmured softly, lowering his upper body so that he was just hanging onto the railing by his folded arms and the lower half of his face nestled softly into the crook created somewhere in the gaps between his two folded arms.

Finally, after a long while, the wind tussling at and playing with his hair, Naruto sighed softly before murmuring…

"…was being a prankster _all_ I was supposed to do on the day I was born?"

* * *

Hinata wasn't having too much luck herself.

Missions with Team 8 was as uneventiful as ever, as everyone got along well in the group, despite the friction between everyone else on different teams. Hinata barely got to do anything except check out everywhere with her Byakugan. The old man they were supposed to be protecting on the escort to a neighbouring village (with NO shinobi), turned out to be an even better fighter than her.

Not that she'd ever know.

Kiba, Akamaru, Kurenai and Shino hadn't let her even take a little hit or risk of getting hurt.

Mostly Kiba and Shino.

She hadn't felt so upset in a long time as she walked back home, feeling slightly disappointed.

She bumped into someone, who glowered, "_WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING!_" Realizing it was Naruto, she worried for him, not feeling insulted at all as others would've felt. She felt sorry for him. Hinata wondered what got him so upset?

After watching him for a while, grumbling curses and kicking at defenseless cans and rocks on the road at Kami-sama, Hinata watched him round the corner, before spotting his upset and ready-to-cry-I-hate-everyone look.

She wished there was something she could do, but upon realizing it was him, she had turned a deep scarlet, her throat had closed, stopping her from speaking and she could only watch in rabid silence as he left. Her throat opened again and she breathed heavily for some reason.

"…Naruto…kun?" She whispered.

Only the blowing wind answered her, gently tossing her short boy's hair's bangs about before leaving her to follow behind Naruto.

* * *

Hinata wandered back home, and quietly made her way back to her room, having removed her sandals at the entrance of the Hyuuga household. She was getting quite good at it and she managed to spot Hanabi and her father training without them noticing. Sadly, a pang of hurt attacking her heart, she wondered…was all she was born to do…

The day she was born…was it just to watch her crush walk away and fall in love with someone else…?

…or…

…was it to watch her little sister grow stronger than her…?

…or…

…was it for her to get ridiculed by the father she had loved dearly as a child?

Hinata wasn't so sure…but she scarcely cared anymore.

Falling forward on her bed, not even bothering to remove the clothing that had only been dirtied by the cloudy dirt from the dirt road they had walked upon and nothing else, not blood, not battle damage… Falling forward onto her bed, face first, head tilted slightly to the side so that her right cheek rested against the soft sheets of her bed as she stared out of the window from which light streamed in from…Hinata whispered to only herself and no one else…

…

"Will anyone care about me?"

* * *


	3. Broken

**Broken**

**By: biacebaolck**

I ask you this, how HAD the infamous Uzumaki Naruto become the sole object of Hinata's hidden affecion?

How HAD the runt of the class, the dead last, become noticeable in an heiress's eyes?

It couldn't have been the fact that he had saved her life. It couldn't have been the fact that he had called her 'cute'. It couldn't have been the fact that he had been nice to her upon rescue. Those things had only added to the base of the beginning of when she liked him.

How had it all happened?

Broken hearts cannot connect with each other.

Naruto broke his heart recklessly and foolishly trying to get attention. The attention he wanted, was just attention he got, bad attention, but still he got it. But it still hurt…because no one is entirely immune to what mankind can do. Man is the source of all evil, and all evil is them whether they believe demons have it or not.

Hinata broke her own heart following what she thought was truth. She broke it while trying to make her father proud. She broke it trying her hardest, trying to please him.

Two youths have broken hearts. Again, broken hearts cannot connect with each other.

However…

One thing that broken hearts can do…is fix the other. Slowly, yet surely, with time, something broken will be fixed.

* * *

"Hinata-sama, are you alright?" 

She nodded. "Yes, I'm alright, Hizashi-oji-san." Bowing, Hinata still couldn't stop her bright smile from exploding on her face. Hizashi on the other hand, was confused beyond heck. What? She had nearly been killed!

Still, he couldn't help but smile back, placing a hand on her shoulder and making her look up at him. His gentle smile made her feel all the more happy. "It's good that you're safe now. Follow me, Hinata-sama. Let's go back to your father now, shall we? I'm sure you have a lot to do before your first day at Academy tomorrow."

"Hai!" She chirped happily.

As they walked, Hinata couldn't help but skip forward and slip her hand into her uncle's smiling brilliantly happily at him. Hizashi said nothing, but it felt every good as nice as holding Neji's. Perhaps, he mused, when both of the children grew up, they'd be just like each other.

Oh, how wrong was he to be?

* * *

"Naruto, what the HELL are you doing?!" Umino Iruka, newly appointed Chuunin teacher, was exasperated beyond belief. His charge was currently climbing up the curtains in his room, snarling at him with incoherent sounds. "Please get down, I'm going or I'm going to die of frustration! You irk me, Naruto, you really do! Come on down, now! I only took this mission because Sandaime-sama said he picked it because he thought _I_ was the best candidate for this! C'mon Naruto…!" 

"Nyeh!" Naruto blew a raspberry at him, clasping the curtains at the top.

"Naruto, get down,_please_!" Iruka's pleading did nothing but make the boy even more stubborn.

"NO!" Naruto shouted, as he felt Iruka tug gently at the curtains. "I wanna stay up here!"

"Naruto, you're not a child! Get DOWN!" Iruka felt his patience ebb away fast, before he sucked in some air and blasted out, "UZUMAKI NARUTO, GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW BEFORE I NEVER TREAT YOU TO RAMEN _**AGAIN!**_"

Needless to say, it worked.

Naruto was so shocked, he let go and careened to the ground. Luckily, Iruka caught him in time, frustration and fast disappearing anger possibly the reason why he was breathing heavily from the outburst. He frowned down at the cheekily smiling blond in his arms, before letting out a long sigh.

This was going to be a looooong day.

"Naruto," Iruka said softly, in a tired, half-whisper as he gently and slowly put his charge down. Naruto hopped to his feet, and jumped around like a rabbit. "Remind me to keep you after class for detention because of this."

Before the Uzumaki could squawk his complaints, Iruka stumbled to the bed and collapsed on top of it.

"HEY! Iruka-sensei! Stop snoozing! Who's going to treat me to ramen NOW?! C'mon Iruka-sensei! Iruka-sensei! Hey, Iruka-sensei!" None of Naruto's prodding, poking, hitting, whacking and antics could disturb Umino Iruka from his slumber. So Naruto did the next best thing.

As he slipped on his_zori _and closed the door behind him, Naruto couldn't help but give a snigger as he recapped the magic marker. Iruka-sensei was going to wake up Konoha's mustache man of the week. He giggled at the thought. Finally, it was too much to take.

He ran down the flights of stairs, laughing loudly and foolishly, waving his hands in the air, the marker tight in his grip like a trophy.

"YEAH!" Naruto called out to the streets of Konoha, his breath turning into light vapour in the cooling temperatures. "_**Who's**_ the Numbah One of Konoha?!"

* * *

"Good. Morning. Everyone." Umino Iruka huffed as he staggered into class, every word a struggle for his lungs before he collapsed at his desk, struggling to catch his breath. Everyone stared. Did their sensei just arrive _late?_ Only by a few minutes, but late was _late._

Umino Iruka had _never_ been late.

EVER.

"Naruto," Iruka growled, his deathly eye of tired DOOM catching Naruto's as the boy tried to slink away quietly. "I will see _you_ after class."

One could only guess HOW hard and long it took Iruka to get rid of that magic marker upon waking that morning.

"Now." He panted, before gesturing to the blackboard at the prewritten information that he had written last night before going off his shift as a teacher. "Take a good long look at that and memorize it. I want you to be able to recite it word for word."

"But WHY?!" People whined.

"Because you'll have to memorize important documents, that's why." Iruka held himself from snapping. Being tired really didn't help his ability as a fledgling teacher. "When you're a shinobi, you might be called to remember what several scrolls say or what they have in them. A good memory is essential. It's not really required, but it'll get you a lot more recommendations."

"But I don't wanna!" Naruto shouted. "Memorizing is for losers!"

"Naruto." Iruka grit out. "Memorize this whole thing and recite it to me. Five minutes, that's all you have."

"WHAT?!"

"Serves _him_ right." Sakura commented to the girl beside her. "Right, Ino-chan?"

"Isn't it obvious, Sakura?" Ino rolled her eyes, but nevertheless, she agreed. "What a moron. He believes he's going to become _Hokage._"

"My daddy says that's because he was dropped at birth." Sakura shared, before heaving a sigh and staring at the long passage. "Ino-chaaaaan, I don't want to memorize all that. I can't do that!"

"Yes, you can, Sakura." Ino replied gently, smiling encouragingly. "I bet Naruto'll be the only one who can't. I mean, c'mon! _Look_ at him!"

Sakura nodded, tugging habitually at the red ribbon in her hair. "Thanks, Ino-chan."

"No problem. _Anyone_'s smarter than Naruto. Just keep that in mind and if he becomes smarter than you, catch up. Quickly." Ino teased. "Because with that billboard brow of yours, you're _sure_ to be the top of the class."

Sakura whapped her best friend lightly. "Ino-chan!"

"I'm joking!" Ino laughed as Sakura laughed too.

Naruto, who was right in front of them, was the only one who wasn't. He bit his lip and glared at the board. He'd show them! He'd show them all!

* * *

"Excuse me…" Hyuuga Hinata peeked in as she slowly opened the door. 

"Eh?" A tired looking teacher with rings under his eyes picked up his head sluggishly. "Can I help you?"

"H-hai…" Hinata spoke shyly. She's wasn't good around strangers, and could only speak openly around her family, because, it was required. Hiashi wouldn't allow someone to stutter in the Hyuuga estate. Especially not someone who was going to be the heiress to the Hyuuga clan head. "I-I'm Hyuuga Hinata…"

"Alright, Hyuuga-kun. I'm Umino Iruka. Welcome to class." Iruka offered a tired smile before rubbing his eyes in a pause.

"P-please call me Hinata…" She trailed off, staring at her feet. It made her feel awkward when he called her that. It felt as though he was addressing someone else. Someone who was really not her… "P-please, I-Iruka-sensei…"

"Okay." Iruka stood up. "Everyone, this is Hyuuga Hinata." Eyes turned to look at the girl if they hadn't already been. Then, he began his 'Welcome the new student speech' that everyone just ignored before starting their own conversations.

"Who's that?" Sakura whispered.

"Hyuuga Hinata." Ino whispered back. "Weren't you listening, lamebrain child?"

But Sakura wasn't paying attention to that for once. "She's a Hyuuga! I thought they were all high classed and taught their own kids!"

"Wow, I guess you really HAVE to go to Academy to become an official shinobi." Naruto said proudly, puffing up his chest. "See?! Now, a future Hokage like myself will—"

"Shut up, moron!" Sakura hit him. HARD. His face met the desk in a matter of seconds. "Nobody _asked_ you!"

Ino ignored him. "Check out her eyes!"

"Do you think she's blind?"

"Ow." Naruto grumbled softly. They didn't even care about his pain.

"Only a _dobe_ would allow himself to get hurt." Sasuke snorted above him.

"WHAT WAS THAT?!" Naruto leapt to his feet, but Sakura punched his face in with Ino's help.

"Don't talk to Sasuke-kun like that!" They shouted in unison, before raising their fists, grinning at each other. (Sakura was still convinced here that only _she_ liked Sasuke.)

"Hey, hey, what's going on!" In a flash, Umino Iruka stood with his arms crossed and a narrowed look. "Haruno-kun, Yamanaka-kun, I'll see the two in detention after school today."

"But sensei, he-!" The cry fell to deaf ears and Naruto's chortle.

"See, see?! Respect your future Hokage is what you should do!" He laughed with glee.

"Not so fast, Naruto." Iruka restrained himself from pounding his head against the table and walls and acting like a spaz. Mind you, all the kids back then used to say he overreacted. Right now, he was trying not to blow his lid. "You're staying behind as well. Now, move over so that Hinata can sit down."

"Hina…ta?" Naruto folded his arms, slowly cocking his head to the side in confusion. "Who's that?"

"A…ano…" Hinata pinkened when she recognized who he was. It wasn't a mistake. His hair color, his eyes… Her father had said that the only person in Konoha with those colors was Uzumaki Naruto. He had told her not to get mixed up with him. But… "T-thank you…!" She bowed, hurriedly, so fast that she bang her head against the table. "A-ah…!"

"Oi." Naruto was on his hands and knees on the long bench and peered curiously close at her. For some reason, her breath quickened and her heart pounded. What was he going to say? Was he really going to yell at her like her father had said he would?! Was he _really_ a person to stay away from? "Do I even _know_ you?"

Oh.

So he had forgotten.

Hinata felt a little relief, though…was that disappointment?

"I-I'm sorry…I-I must've mistaken y-you for someone else…"

"Of course!" Sakura said loudly. "Who'd believe that Naruto ever met a _Hyuuga_ on good grounds? He probably played a prank on your clan, that's why you mistook him for someone else."

"But isn't Naruto the only one with that kind of hair and eye color?" A rather bright student questioned.

"Shut up, loser." Ino snapped. "If you're not on our side, you're an idiot."

"Naruto's the idiot here." They retorted.

"Good to see you're smart." Ino beamed down at him.

Iruka had _had_ enough. And as he was blaringly a noobish teacher, he made it well known. "That's enough!" He shouted, before sighing hugely, in grit determination to keep a lid on his hot temper. "Though I have no control over your actions, badmouthing a classmate will NOT happen in my classroom! You can do it ANYWHERE, _**but **_during school hours! If I hear you, you're in detention! Do I make myself clear?"

His glare was nothing to laugh at. The class held its breath before their teacher's outburst finally made it through to them. Guiltily, they looked at one another before nodding once, awkwardly and out of synch.

"A-ano…" Hinata blinked as Iruka ushered her into her seat. "I-I don't understand what y-you were talking about, sensei…"

"Well, you'll learn soon enough." He sighed, before walking back to the front of the class. "Now, memorize what's on the blackboard. Before lunch, I want everyone to be able to recite it by heart."

No one dared to complain.

But Uzumaki Naruto sulked in his seat. He didn't like people fighting for him. Besides. They were _his_ to suffer through. He didn't want Iruka-sensei to suffer too. His sensei was annoying, but he was nice.

Naruto didn't want to see him get hurt for that.

The villagers him. That was that.

* * *

"Eyaaa…" A rather bouncy blonde cornered Hinata as they were let out for lunch. "Hinata-san?" 

"H-hai?"

"Are you _really_ a Hyuuga? Yamanaka Ino, by the way. Anything you want to know about Academy, tell me. I'm pretty good at most of the things here, and I know how everything runs here. Anyone give you a hard time, talk to me, you got that right?" Ino gushed.

"H-huh?" Hinata wasn't used to this being so talked to carefree. "I…I-I…"

"No fair, Ino-chan!" Sakura complained, walking up to the two. "Anyway, sit with us, Hinata-chan!"

"Hinata-_san!_" Ino retorted. "Honourifics, my dear child!"

Sakura puffed up her cheeks. "I am _not_ a child!"

"Hey," All three turned to see Uchiha Sasuke. "Can't you see you're blocking the door way? Get out of the way." He ordered, and they pressed themselves against the walls to let him through. "Hn." He stuffed his hands in his pockets and coolly walked off. Hinata couldn't help but feel a heat rush to her cheeks and her heart pound. He looked…well, he looked kinda…

"SOOOOO handsome…Isn't he…the _greatest?_" Sakura sighed, blushing.

"D-do you like him?" Hinata asked kindly, willing her cheeks to calm down. She might as well find out their likes and dislikes because it might just be that these two would be her only friends here at Academy. Hinata didn't want to prod, so she left it at that when Sakura didn't respond.

"Yeah, she is." Ino laughed, but Hinata could tell immediately it was forced. There was no laughter in the Yamanka's eyes, and her mouth closed awkwardly. "C'mon, Hinata-san." She murmured, turning and walking. "I'll show you where we usually sit."

"B-but Sakura-san…"

"Leave her to her _own_ fantasies." Ino didn't turn back to look, but kept on walking, yet Hinata could still hear the tremble of her voice. "She'll come around."

"_She'll come around."_

Hinata involuntarily shivered. It sounded more like a death promise than a statement to her.

* * *

Naruto frowned as he looked down at them all from the tree branch he now sat upon. "Stupid girls." He thumped the heels of his _zori_ on the slightly less thick tree branch below the one he was on, at the right angle and distance for his legs to reach. "What's so good about_Sasuke?_ Sasuke this, Sasuke that, blah, blah, blah." 

"Oi! Naruto!" He looked down upon mention of his name and upon recognizing who it was, he groaned. Not _him_. Still, Kiba _did_ play good pranks. Naruto grudgingly answered Kiba's call with a rather rude reply.

"Whaddya want, mutt face?"

"Shuddup!" Kiba growled. "Be grateful I'm giving you heads up! Ebisu-sensei is coming around on yard duty!"

"What?!" Naruto nearly face-faulted. "But why the closet-pervert?!" Ever since Naruto and Kiba had discovered Ebisu's secret stash of porno, they had absolutely no respect for the Special Jounin.

"I know!" Kiba climbed up, grunting before he lost a foothold and crashed to the floor. Naruto laughed loudly and Kiba shook his fist at him. "Stupid! Only _you_ could climb a tree, grease it, and not fall down!"

"Well, you could say it's one of my special talents." Naruto bragged, grinning like the devil, as he eyed the can of grease on one of the roofs of the Academy. "It's _perfect_ for when I become Hokage!"

"Right. So what _are_ you? A _monkey?_" Kiba rolled his eyes and dusted off his clothes. "Later, loser, I'm going back to class before Midori-sensei realizes I'm missing."

"What? You mean you ditched?" Naruto asked curiously, hanging from his hands on the tree branch, swinging back and forth before eventually securing his position by gripping the branch with as far as his arms could reach forward and grasp. His legs swung back and forth lazily. "Dude, that's _crazy!_"

"Duh." Kiba rolled his eyes. "We're eating in class today, so if I don't go, I'm sunk."

"So why _did_ you come out?" Naruto questioned. Kiba looked up at him in disbelief.

"Why _else?_" He grinned wolfishly. "To meets _girls!_"

"But you're too young!" Naruto called after him as Kiba ran back to class. "You're too _young_ to start liking girls!"

"You sound just like my mom, Naruto-_kaa-san_!" Came the chortled reply as the door closed behind him and the remaining sounds of footsteps ebbed away into peaceful silence.

Fuming silently at that insult, Naruto grumbled before slowly pulling himself back up onto the tree branch, sitting with a slouch, folded arms and a frown. "Why the heck would Kiba like _girls_, anyway? They all have…" He shuddered. "COOTIES. Is that it, Kiba?" He called, even though he knew the boy was already back in class by now. "Is your brain inflicted with cooties?!"

* * *

"Sasuke-kun's the_coolest_!" Sakura spoke almost without breath throughout lunch. "He gets the top grades, he's also pretty good looking, he's an Uchiha, he's PERFECT, he's sooooooooo HOT, he's a GENIUS, his hair is like, OMG, like SOOOO hot, and so is his eyes. Did you see his EYES?! His HAWT (this was how it sounded to Hinata), HAWT, HAAAAAWT black eyes! They're so black! And his…voice. Oh my god, his VOICE. Is so SEXY—" 

"Sakura, when you talk about Sasuke-kun," Ino laughed nervously, and Hinata noticed that she hadn't touched her lunch at all, her chopsticks just randomly poking at the things in her bento. "You don't sound like a nine-year-old."

"Well, of _course!_" Sakura sighed, taking her ribbon off and redoing it. Hinata noticed that the girl had done that about five times in the last half hour everytime she stopped to talk a breath or was interrupted. "Sasuke-kun brings out my best potential! It's _gotta_ be the power of looooove!"

"Hinata," Ino forced out, trying to change the subject before she cracked. "What's it like in the Hyuuga household? I bet it's cool. You get your own servants who have to do what you say and _EVERYTHING_!"

"N…not everything."

"Huh?" Sakura blinked. "Whaddya mean?"

"I…I…" Hinata poked her fingers together. "Th-there's no one to t-talk to, really. No one's that n-nice enough to p-play or have the time to t-talk, _really_ talk to m-me."

"Oh." Ino and Sakura were at a loss for words. That, and Hinata was a hopeless case when it came to NOT stuttering in a conversation.

"Uhm, want some tea?" Sakura offered.

"I have tempura." Ino offered.

"Th-than—"

BAM

Naruto fell from the tree onto the ground, face meeting Mother Nature first. "Mmrgh…" Naruto lifted his face slowly up, an imprint of his face on the floor, before his head flopped back down. "MGH."

"N-Naruto-san, a-are you a-alright?" Hinata didn't know why, but she felt flustered as she ran towards him, shaking and trembling as she sorta did this 'shake-the-body-let-go-of-it-freak-out-what-did-I-just-do-oh-no-did-I-just-?' thing.

"Hyuuga-san." Ami smirked. (Ami. You know, the girl who bullied Sakura in her childhood.) Ino looked up and scowled.

"Well, if it isn't the _Queen_. What do you want? To make fun of Sakura-chan again?!" She yelled.

"I-Ino-chan…" Sakura whispered.

"_Excuse me_, was I _talking_ to you?" Ami rolled her eyes, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "No, didn't think so. Now, Hyuuga-san. I have a proposition for you."

"A _what?_" Sakura blinked.

"She's using long words on purpose!" Naruto accused, finally finding strength to get up before getting bowled over by Ami's flying kunai pouch.

"Hyuuga-san." Ami pasted a sickeningly sweet smile on her face. Obviously, it didn't meld, because it looked more like she was trying to look demented. Demented might've worked. Angelic might've been close enough as shinobi kind was to giving up their current lifestyle. No snowball's chance in hell. "What say we become _friends?_ I can…_get_you to places that I guarantee will work out in the future. And you can get me to somewhere I want to be in exchange. My father is a—"

"SHUT UP!" Naruto yelled. "She doesn't want to listen to you!"

"So says the _thing_ who got an impossible negative 1000 on the psychology test." Ami replied smoothly and Naruto felt like he had just been slapped. "What do _you_ know?!"

"I may…I might not know anything about Hinata-san, or Hinata-chan or whatever…" Naruto had never really been one to use honourifics unless he really wanted to. For the most part, he really didn't know WHEN to use them. "I don't know whether or not she's sharing my thoughts but…"

"N-Naruto-san?" Hinata whispered, gently touching his arm. He looked at her. "I-it's alright, it's—"

"_No,_ it's_**not**_ alright!" Naruto shouted, and she winced, before he realized what he had said, before mumbling so softly only she, Hinata who was right beside him, could hear. "Because they're treating you like an _object._ She's treating you like a_thing_ that will bring her success. She's not treating you like Hinata. She's not treating you like a person. I don't know you, and normally, I couldn't care less! But…" He trailed off, as she smiled up at him.

Tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Gomenasai, N-Naruto-kun." She turned to Ami. "Gomenasai, Ami-san, b-but I can't accept." The girl spluttered incoherently, before storming off. As the door slammed, Hinata was shocked into realization that she was…very…very close to Naruto. "A-ano…" She felt dizzy and her face felt red and Hinata became as shy as she is to this day whenever she was around Naruto.

Because she'd remember this moment.

Oh no, there she goes.

Hinata did something only she would do at such a close distance from her crush.

She _fainted._

"WAAAUGH! Hinata-chan!"

"NA-RU-TO!" Sakura cracked her knuckles. "You. ARE. DEAD."

"AUGH! P-PLEASE, _**NO**_, M-MERCY!"

* * *

Over the times and as years that went on, gradually, Hinata felt more and more of the burden around Naruto. She wanted to tell him how she felt, but…somehow, she just…she _couldn't._ Sakura and Ino's on and off-again friendship wasn't making it any easier, especially when they refused to talk to each other and refused to talk to anyone who had spoken with the other. 

One day, finally, she convinced herself she'd leave a present for Naruto on Valentine's Day, since the boy seemed to look awfully down whenever it came around. Hinata peeked into the classroom, and upon noting it empty, sneaked into Naruto's cubby—she felt like a thief sort of—and placed in the box, trembling.

The door opened and with a squeak, she fell back, face red with embarrassment.

"Oh, hi, Hinata-chan." Naruto droned boredly, brushing past her to get to a seat.

"A-aren't you g-going t-to get a s-seat, N-Naruto-kun?" Hinata poked her fingers together. Somehow, this pastime had allowed her to have something_else_ to look at other than her crush's face.

"Why _bother_?" He made a face. "Not gonna get anything anyway."

"A-ano…" Hinata looked nervously behind her, where the chocolate still was, slightly jutting out. But she didn't want him to think that she was snooping in his things, nor did she want him to know that _she_ sent it…oh, oh, what was she to do? "N-Naruto-kun…I-I think there's s-something h-here…"

"Eh?" Naruto's blue eyes snapped open wide and he practically leapt down and landed beside her. "What is it? Oo, oo, is it a _dead rat_ or is it some sorta left over prank from last week or something or is it…" He trailed off once he noticed it. Naruto pointed at it. "Ne, Hinata-chan?"

"H-hai?" She blushed bright pink.

"Is this some kind of_sick joke_?!" Naruto looked really angry. "Did _you_ play it?! Darn it, Hinata, I thought _you_ were better!" He stormed off, leaving Hinata in shock.

"…what?" Tears formed at the corners of her eyes before she struggled to wipe them away, without victory. Hinata found herself rushing to the bathroom and locking herself in a stall, where she sat on top of the toilet seat, knees hugged to her chest and _cried._ She couldn't really remember how _long_ it had been since she'd cried but…

…why?

* * *

Now, you might find it was cruel of Naruto to do that, but you don't know _his _side of Valentine's Day. True, for _years_, Uzumaki Naruto was convinced that all girls had cooties and therefore, were monsters with horrible tempers you should stay away _from_. But now, he had felt some sort of…well, he felt _happier_ whenever he was around Ino, Sakura and Hinata, despite the fact that Sakura and Ino hit him for his loose mouth. 

When he had dropped everything upon seeing Sakura smile, he was hooked. And convinced he was in _love_. Well, he was. Kids like that are easy to fall in love. Crushes can come and go in the future, but with kids, well… It's new to them, and if you really have no friends, no one's going to talk to you about it without _laughing_.

His heart thumped tremendously whenver he thought of her smile, and he couldn't help but feel on cloud nine whenever he saw it again. One day, Naruto convinced himself: He was in _love_ with Haruno Sakura! He wanted to see that smile again, he wanted to see the smile at _him!_

He confessed on Valentine's Day, because, hey, girls dig that sorta romantic mush, right?

It had been hard to get Sakura out, because she, like the many Uchiha Sasuke fans, had brought chocolate for _him_ and _him_ only, and had been in a HUUUUUUUUUUUGE line to give it to him when Naruto had dragged her out of her hard earned spot, right before she was going to give Sasuke his chocolate.

Needless to say, she was angry, because she'd have to wait another three and a half hours before it was her turn again, and was fuming.

"Sakura-chan…" Naruto felt his palms all sweaty and he swallowed. Millions of things poured themselves into his mind and he felt weightless, as though something could knock him over with the slightest touch. He had practiced these three words over and over again, just for the perfect moment, but now, faced with the truth, his whole mouth went blank and his lips moved of their own accord. "I like you."

"SCREW OFF!" She snapped. "Do I _look_ like I care?! I like Sasuke-kun and_Sasuke-kun _only, you monster! See, Ino was _right! _You're a kidnapper _**and**_ a _rapist_ too!" Sakura stormed off, not even bothering to discover that Naruto had fallen to his knees and clutched his aching head in his hands, shoulders and arms shaking.

Now, rejection is hard to deal with, especially when you've been building up your courage. Naturally, you feel a great disdain to those who are still living natural, laughing while you're suffering with questions and the rejection playing over and over again in your mind.

Naruto had walked directly back to class so he wouldn't give them all another reason to call him a _monster_ with a temper, but then Hinata was there. He had noticed, upon entering the room, the box of chocolates—hey, he wasn't stupid alright? Naruto was a lot smarter than everyone else gave him credit for, but he refused to act it, because then, he'd have to work hard, and Naruto really didn't like to work hard when everyone would just ridicule him for it.

He had avoided it, but had said hi to Hinata, a dull throbbing in his chest let him know where his heart was dying. But Hinata JUST had to go and rub it in his face, didn't she?! She just had to add SALT to the wound!

Apparently, Naruto was convinced that Hinata had been in the whole, 'Hate you, Naruto' scheme. After all, if Hinata was a good friend of Sakura and Ino,_she'd_ have found out as soon as Sakura had stomped back into Academy building! After all, Sakura and Ino were the ones who talked the most, and Hinata probably found out easily! (Naruto had no idea of the fight between Ino and Sakura, and Hinata's confusion as to who she should support. He still assumed all three were still good friends.)

Who _cared_ about Sakura-chan?! Who cared about this snobby girl who obsessed over a playboy?!

…who was he kidding…? He _cared_ about her. He _loved_ her smile. He wanted…_her_ to say that she cared about him too-!

Naruto slowly walked to the door, but it opened for him. Huh? He looked up into Sakura's face. It was _smiling_. He looked behind him. No one else was in the classroom, and _certainly_ not Sasuke. If the Uchiha had been here, Naruto would've been DEAD the first two seconds.

"S-Sakura-cha—"

She punched him across the face, across the face and GOOD. "MORON!" She kicked him as he was down, tears in her eyes. "Why did you hurt Hinata-chan?!"

"W-wha—"

Sakura punched him in the cheek. HARD. "Because of YOU, she's in the washroom_crying_!"

"Well-!" Naruto held the side of his face, and was on the floor, shouting angrily, "HOW do you think _**I**_ felt when YOU rejected me?! You have _NO STUPID RIGHT_ to say you're PERECT and that you're the PEACEMAKER and PROBLEMSOLVER, because," He sucked in a big breath before shouting, "_**You're a bloody damn hypocrite!**_" He ran past her, and Sakura felt shocked.

Her…? A hypocrite?

She was so shocked, she didn't notice the tears in Naruto's eyes.

* * *

**Hinata…get up.**

No, thank you, not right now, thank you.

**Get. Up.**

Please, no, I really don't think I can.

**Stop crying. You're not a bloody child anymore! You're twelve!**

Turning twelve.

**You KNOW what I mean, Hinata! Get up! Bloody get up NOW!**

I don't want to. Something hurts.

**Do you think the whole WORLD's just going to SUCK up to you just because something hurts?! NO! They blasted keep on with their blasted lives! Now GET up before I smack you!**

I'm sorry.

**Don't be. You're not to blame for all of this. But at least try to find out why Naruto did what he did.**

He doesn't like me. He **hates** me.

**He doesn't.**

How do you know?

**Because life's not unfair without a reason, now get up, you.**

Alright. Thank you.

**You'd better be. Because this is the last time I'm getting you up. Goodbye.**

* * *

There was a voice in Hinata's head that kept on talking to her. No, she didn't think she was crazy. Sometimes, she humoured herself, believing it was just herself wanting to be braver, to have more courage, to be smarter, to be…more likable. 

Now, something felt empty inside, and Hinata couldn't help but feel like her legs were like lead, slowing her down.

Finally, she managed to dry the tears, and shakily unlock the stall door. It felt like she had been crying for only a few minutes, but when she went outside, the sun had already set. Hours at a time, must've been. As she trudged back in the direction of the classroom, her mind whirling with upset that her father was going to be angry, she didn't notice a figure brush past her, before grabbing her arm.

"U-wah!" She squeaked as Naruto stood there, breathing heavily, sweat pouring down his brow.

"Hinata-chan?"

"A-ano…" Hinata wished she could be _anywhere_ but here. She couldn't face him. Not yet! She wasn't ready!

"Hinata-chan…" Naruto put both hands on her shoulders, his eyes searching through hers. Hinata froze at the contact and her face turned bright red, her legs turning turned from lead to jelly and it was she could do to stand. She felt really light-headed, realizing exactly _how_ close she was to him. Then, his eyes narrowed without warning and Hinata felt helpless as tinges of hurt and frustration made their way into their blue color. "I'M _SORRY_!"

What?

"N-nani…?"

Naruto had let go of her and bowed deeply, before standing straight up. "I'm really sorry. I'm really, really, really, sorry, Hinata-chan. I mean, you must've just noticed that there was something for me and I just blabbed angrily to you and, and, and—"

Hinata couldn't help but smile shakily as he gasped for air and kept on droning on. "I-it's alright, N-Naruto-kun. I-I k-know you d-didn't mean it…"

"You're the greatest, Hinata-chan!" Naruto grinned at her.

It was far too much. Hinata fainted dead on the spot.

"WAUGH! Hinata-chan!"

* * *

Time passed, and Ino and Sakura drifted away from each other, both declaring the friendship as ABSOLUTELY **OVER**. Without those two, Hinata found herself unable to speak to new people, and slowly became even more shy than before. She now grew to the stage where she couldn't talk to anyone without stuttering. 

As it went, Naruto forgot all about that incident a few days later, but Hinata didn't mind. She just turned bright pink whenever she remembered his hands…on her shoulders…and he…grinning at her. It was…nice.

It was nice to watch him from afar. And when he had rushed out into the sea of villagers and shouted his proclamation of becoming Hokage for the fifth time that month, she couldn't help but feel encouraged to try harder.

Hinata wanted to graduate with Naruto.

But then again, her father was being impatient.

"_Graduate this year, Hinata, or you will be considered useless and I will disown you!"_

Sadly, Hinata passed the Genin exam at age 13…and watched as her crush clung to the ropes of the swing in the corner of the field, his invisible tears striking deep into her heart. She looked away, and followed her father away without question.

It was not a matter of whether or not she loved him…

Because even someone like Naruto knows that shinobi can't—_shouldn't_ fall in love. The success of at least a B-rank mission depends on your feelings as nothing more than what they should be. A tool…and nothing else.

* * *

The broken parts of your heart may still linger…but like a mirror, one day, they can be repaired. 

By the right hands…

With the right amount of time…

With a certain experience and determination…

The you who was broken shall be whole once more.

And Hinata smiled as she walked in the next day, upon seeing Uzumaki Naruto, grinning his lights out and laughing at the world, the Konoha hitai-ate proudly on his forehead. She smiled because she was happy.

What more reason did she need?

And another piece of a broken hard began to heal into place…

* * *

Author's Note: I come bearing a new chapter! I'm rewriting this. I am HAPPY with this chapter. I have figured out SOMETHING at least. OC writing and I do NOT mix. So you can breath happy knowing I've given up on that. 

Now, a lot of you may notice Hinata fainting. Only in childhood, my friends. Only in childhood.

Or IS it?

ALSO: This website is a BITCH. I'm angry. They keep on messing with my formatting and italics and bold!


	4. WHAAAT! NARUTO DOESN'T!

Author's Note: This chapter you guys might recognize from the dearly departed EX-chapter 3. So if you don't want to read it, I'm not killing you. I just like this chapter. I guess. I think I wrote them better back then.

Yo, this stupid site keeps on screwing with what I actually write, dangit! Darn it, flashback scenes are going to DIE here... And they keep on moving my things!

* * *

WHAAAT?! NARUTO DOESN'T-?!

By: biacebaolck

Naruto thoughtfully tapped the eraser tip of the pencil against his upper lip, before blowing out a frustrated sigh out of his mouth, throwing the pencil in a tantrum onto the table top. It bounced, and he barely watched it before leaning back in his seat so that only the back legs touched the ground, the back of his seat supported by the table behind him. He placed his hands behind his head as he boredly counted the tiles of the ceiling.

The one behind him waited patiently, watching his hair move as the slight breeze that came through the door. It seemed so peaceful, so peaceful, that—

"Oi!" He slammed his chair back down and stared meaningfully. "What are you doing?!"

"W-wha?" Startled at being caught so abrubtly…

"I mean, what're you doing?! I'm doing this…this…" He turned back to his paper and just slapped it angrily. "JUNK!"

"O-oh…I-I'm doing…"

"Oo, healing…you're taking a healing entrance exam?" Naruto peered at her sheet. "Sugoi, Hinata-chan!" Hinata blushed at his praise.

"A-ano…I just…j-just…" She bowed her head and timidly turned her attention to her fingers, poking both her indexes together nervously. "…I-I've seen so m-many sh-shinobi c-come back harmed a-and I want t-to try to help."

"That's real cool!" Naruto grinned and then he laughed, getting up and sitting backwards from the way he was normally supposed to sit, his legs out from behind the backsweat of the chair. He folded his arms onto her table, mostly covering up her paper and that sudden movement caused her to look up at him…as if, she hadn't already looked…

"W-what are you doing, N-Naruto-kun?"

"I dunno." He sighed through his nose, a wriggly line for his mouth curving down as he plopped down his head onto his arms, eyes closing.

"N-nani?" Hinata was confused…AND embarrassed. "A-ano…N-Naruto-kun, I-I have to do my exam—"

"NOPE."

"N-nani?!" She recoiled away when he leaned forward, knees on his chair seat, a wild grin on his face, blue eyes glinting.

"I said, 'nope'." He laughed.

"B-but—"

"Because I want you to come with me and eat Ramen!" He whined, getting jumpy in his seat and leaning back, hands on the seat back and a pout on his face. "Ugh! STUPID TEST!" He threw his hands up the air.

"HEY! YOU!" Pieces of chalk hit his head and sent him flying forward onto Hinata's whole sheet. The poor girl gave a squeak as she nearly tumbled from her seat, but somehow managed to stay on, despite the uncomfortable position she was in with Naruto's face near her… Anko looked like she was ready to kill. "Haven't I already sucked out your blood at the Chuunin Exams?! Get on with that stupid exam, idiot!"

Naruto's ear heard that and he twitched, recovering quickly as he nursed the wound on his head. "OH YEAH, YOU HAG?!"

Anko snapped the book she was holding in two. "OH, YEAH, BRAT! I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL _**KILL**_ YO—"

"Now, now, Anko-san." Iruka sweat out as he put her in a full nelson (you don't know that term, you go look at it in wikipedia, go on, you). "I'm sure Naruto didn't mean that—"

"OH YES I DID, IRUKA-SENSEI!" Naruto fumed, jumping on top of his table, despite the annoyed and twitching glares and glances of the ones at his table and around him in the whole room. "SHE'S UGLY, SHE'S BITCHY, AND SHE'S A FRICKING _**VAMPIRE**_!"

"Naruto!" Iruka hissed out, all the while thinking, '_Baka! I was trying to fix this peacefully, but…'_ With a sigh, he kneed Anko in the back, like Ibiki-san had taught him to and floored her, knees on her legs, arms pinning her down. "Please, Anko-san, promise me you won't kill or harm Naruto in any way."

"Lemee go, Iruka!" She growled, struggling. "I'm gonna give that brat a piece of my mind—"

"Do I have to call Ibiki-san?" He wailed as a desperate attempt and she stopped.

"…can I hurt Ibiki instead?"

"P-please don't…" Iruka sighed, letting her up and scratching his head, before shooting an annoyed glance at Naruto who had crossed his legs onto his seat and crossed his arms and was blowing out smoke from his nostrils. "Naruto," He said firmly. "come with me. You'll do your test in another room."

"_PLEASE._" Anko muttered to herself. "So I don't have to kill him."

"NEH! _**HAG!**_" At the doorway, Iruka guiding, Naruto had wheeled around and pulled down his lower eyelid, sticking out his tongue in that disrespectful manner. "_**HAG HAG HAG HAG HAG!"**_

Then he was off, laughing maniacally as Anko thundered after him.

Around her, people sniggered, or talked bad about Naruto, but Hinata couldn't help but smile, as for some reason, what Naruto had last said to her drifted to the top of her mind as she went back to her test.

"_Because I want you to come with me and eat Ramen!"_

Somehow, Hinata found that she couldn't really concentrate. Luckily, she had finished most of the exam already so…

That day, Hyuuga Hinata found her thoughts wondering to the shinobi who had taught her to stand up for herself, the shinobi who she had always looked up to and who she always wanted to be like. But she didn't hate it. In fact, a smile was on her face the whole day.

It didn't vanish…until she was back at home.

"Hinata." Her father addressed her.

"Ah!" She smiled. "H-hello father—"

"You are late." He interrupted, eyes sternly pouring into her soul. Her smile broke and her eyebrows furrowed together as he ordered, "Follow me. We have much to discuss and do." Somehow, somehow…

Somehow, Hinata didn't think this was good. Not good at all.

* * *

Naruto gave out a sigh as he threw his pencil aside so that it dug into the wall, and threw the paper airplane at Iruka's bowed head as the teacher marked exams, before plopping his chin onto the table boredly, breathing in deeply before giving out a big sigh from his nose. 

"Wha-? Hey!" Iruka looked at Naruto with such ridicule the boy flinched, before unfolding the airplane and smoothing it out. "Naruto," He sighed. "You do realize, that if I was any other teacher, you'd have failed for making your exam into a plaything?"

"Exactly why I did it." Naruto replied, his head bobbing up and down as he kept his chin rested on the table.

"Naruto…" Iruka rubbed his temples, but didn't say anything more. "…you may leave now."

"Nah, I think I'll stay here for—"

"This room'll be in use for a teacher meeting. Are you sure you'd like to join us in the marking?" Iruka baited. He hadn't even finished speaking when Naruto raced out of the door, a blur, leaving a windy streak behind him. Luckily, Iruka had had enough foresight to put a paperweight on the papers. "Now to get back to work." Iruka sighed, hand supporting his chin as he boredly marked the sheet full of scribbles that no other teacher than him could read.

It sounded crazy, but over time, Iruka had learned how to read the boy's handwriting, even though other teachers had had Naruto longer than he had ever had.

Iruka paused, lifting his head from his arm and lowering it, his pen paused above the sheet as his eyes viewed and answer. Then he gave a groan and cradled his head in his hands. "…_Naruto_…_**how many times…**_have I told you to_ show your work __**neatly?**__"_

Indeed, the sheet was a jumbled mess of scribbles in the Show your work section.

Iruka had his work cut out for him.

* * *

"No, no, no…" Naruto grumbled as he scrolled through what kinds of ramen Ichiraku Ramen sold. "…no…not that…" Somehow, he didn't feel like eating any of them, even though he had a super hungry stomach that was certainly not afraid to let him know. None of the ramen choices appealed to him, so when he arrived at Ichiraku Ramen, he just sat on his seat and just folded his arms on the table, resting his entire face on it. 

It didn't take long for Teuchi to notice his number one customer.

"What's wrong, Naruto?"

"…I'm starving."

"Well," Teuchi laughed a throaty laugh. "There's plenty of ramen ready to be serv—"

"I don't want ramen." Naruto mumbled, lifting his head only slightly so that his eyes watched Teuchi. The rest of his face was still covered by his arms.

Teuchi was so shocked, he dropped the pan he was holding.

_CLANG!_

"FATHER!" Ayame was at his side instantly, angrily picking them up as her stunned father just ogled at Naruto. "That's the THIRD pan you've broken! Why've I such a _stupid_ klutz for a fa—" She noticed Naruto. "Oh. Hello, Naruto-kun. What's wrong? You look famished. I'll go and cook some ramen." Immediately, she placed the pieces in the garbage can. "What kind do you want? We just replenished so—"

"No ramen, please."

Ayame dropped the chopsticks and the spices.

Teuchi snapped out of his shocked stupor and fell to the ground, protecting the spices and chopsticks. "Ayame!" He cried tears. "How could you do this to me?! You nearly _**wasted**_! I thought I taught you better than—"

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" She yelled at him, and poor Teuchi curled up in the corner of the store, blue flames sprouting around him.

"My little girl is in her rebellious age…" Was what was heard.

Naruto couldn't help but feel a little guilty. He knew he was being selfish, but in all honesty, he wanted to eat something from Ichiraku Ramen—partly because it was the only store he really knew well, partly because he knew he wouldn't get kicked out—but then, he didn't want ramen.

"WHY NOT…?" Ayame pounded her palms flat onto the kitchen counter top as she bewilderedly tried to make sense of all this. "WHO are YOU and WHAT have YOU done with NARUTO-KUN?!"

"…ano…Ayama-nee-chan, I just feel tired…that's all…dattebayo."

At hearing his familiar catchphrase, Ayame gave a sigh of relief.

"At least we know it's you, Naruto-kun. But…" She placed her hands on her hips. "Why don't you want ramen?"

"I dunno…" Naruto rolled his head to the side, freeing his lower face and allowing air to come properly through. His eyes seemed dull and bored. "…I'm tired. I'm bored and I dunno…I _just_ dunno…"

"Did you get turned down by Sakura-kun?" She asked.

"Uh-uh." He mumbled, shaking his head slightly, turning his attention to the chopstick holder on top of the counter.

"I _see…_"

Naruto grunted.

"Okay, so maybe I don't, Naruto-kun, but there's seriously…" Ayame thought for a moment. "Do you have a fever, Naruto-kun?"

"Mm-mm." Naruto heaved his shoulders up slightly before letting them down and shaking his head slightly. At least, he didn't think so.

"Well…" Ayame peered at him, before deducting. "You certainly look tired. Tell you what, Naruto-kun, I'll pack you several takeout bowls, alright? You must be sick, sort of, so you go home, place the takeout somewhere where it'll stay warm—preferably, the microwave, I guess, I dunno, I've never tried keeping ramen warm—anyway, go to bed, okay? It's on me."

"Thanks, Ayame-nee-chan…" Naruto forced himself to droll out, even though he wasn't really feeling thankful. To be honest, he felt like… He buried his face in his arms again as his ears listened unwillingly to the sounds of ramen cooking.

Naruto didn't know how he managed to get home that night, stumbling and feeling dizzy, vision going hazy once in a while with the urge to throw up somewhere, and his tired body aching, but all he knew was that he had slammed the door shut with his foot from behind him, ignored the yelling of the neighbours—his ears hurt then, and then his forehead and temples—and placed the takeout container somewhere before tromping off to his room, where, without taking off his clothes or anything, he fell forward on the mattress and fell asleep way before he even started to fall.

* * *

Hinata awoke the next day, her head pounding. Eyebrows furrowed as she remembered what day it was today. Sunday. Somehow, she got dressed putting all clothing articles on the correct parts of her body and somehow, she got out of her room, down the hall, down the stairs and downstairs. 

She didn't feel like eating breakfast, and didn't have a taste for anything that was on the menu today, so she just requested some oatmeal. Lukewarm, if she may have. Of course she got it. A Hyuuga always got what they want.

Oatmeal was easily to be swallowing, if by anyone's standards, but then again, she wondered as she finished, was there a point in eating with etiquette?

She thanked the maker for the meal, before standing up and bowing to her father, departing, the night's events beforehand blurry in her mind. It had happened all so fast…so fast, and, it was…just like a nightmare.

Hinata wasn't sure whether or not it had been real, but nevertheless…

She had walked about more than halfway to Team 8's training grounds before remembering…that they had a day off today. She felt sick to her stomach as she turned to walk back home. Oh, how Hinata longed for that bed, she longed for sleep. Right now, she tasted the sick taste of oatmeal in her mouth.

The remaints of her last meal threatened to burst out, but somehow, she swallowed the sick and vile tasting concoction back down, body trembling as she leaned against a wall for support. Hinata panted, and her chest heaved.

"Hey, you alright?" A passerby stopped and asked kindly. Hinata forced herself to face her, her vision woozy as it hazed. She made a garbled sound, and huffed harder against the wall. "Do you need help?" She nodded, though she felt lightheaded, as the black-haired woman helped her sit down against the wall. "My name is Shizune, and I'm a trained medic nin. What I need you to do is breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Breathe in as much as you can through your nose and let it out. Slowly, slowly, not that fast…"

Hinata tried to do as the nice woman instructed, but it felt like every breath was a fight to the end. She felt weaker than she had before as she rested her head, tried, ever so tired, against the wall. Shizune knelt down beside her in order to better help her.

"Okay, now, I'm going to do a secondary check to see if you have any injuries, alright?" Shizune requested. "What's your name?"

"Hinata." She gasped out.

"Don't strain yourself." Shizune placed her hand over Hinata's heart and a greenish glow surrounded it. Hinata felt a little better and was thinking a little clearer as Shizune continued. "Do you have any medical history? Do you take any medication?"

"Uh-uh." She shook her head.

"Alright then, has this happened before?" Shizune prompted as she placed a hand on Hinata's forehead and Hinata felt her head stop aching as the greenish glow reappeared around the woman's hand. She shook her head in reply, and Shizune took her hand. "I'll take your pulse now, and then I'll do a breathing check, alright? Okay, your pulse is fine, it's still there, breathe normally, alright?" She placed her hands on Hinata's sides. "Normally…relax…that's it…"

"Uhm…" She mumbled rather intelligently, before biting her lip.

"Hinata, is it?" Shizune smiled. "Don't worry, you'll be fine. I'm due for a very important meeting, though, so I can't stay with you long. If the problem persists or happens, go to your family doctor, health clinic or the hospital, alright?"

"Arigatou…ah…Shizune-san…" Hinata mumbled. "I d-didn't mean to t-take up your time…" She turned red. '_She must think I'm a ditz…'_ She bit her lip, but was surprised to see Shizune still smiling at her.

"Don't worry." The woman placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "The reason I'm training to become a better medic-nin is because I want to help others when they're in trouble. It's alright, Hinata-san. Now…" Shizune stood up and took in a deep breath before letting it out. "Can you stand, Hinata?" Hinata tried, expecting herself to fall, but surprisingly, her legs, though shaky and quaking, managed to support her weight, and she took a couple of steps forward. "That's good. I have to go, but watch out for yourself, alright?"

"I will…t-thank you…"

Shizune left, and Hinata smiled at the sun…before remembering her father's words the day before…

* * *

"Hinata, as my eldest daughter, I am rather disappointed in you. Hanabi is your junior, yet she is more of a shinobi than you will ever be. The best way to remedy this is for you to stop fraternizing with those want-to-be shinobi. Do not talk to that Uzumaki boy. He is nothing more than trouble, and if you disobey me, the consequences will be harsh above all. Do you understand me, Hyuuga Hinata? …you are dismissed."

* * *

"I can't see…N-Naruto-kun…any more?" She whispered to herself. "Why…?" Tears sprouted as she cried. She liked him, really liked him—it would be nothing to say that she loved him, but…if she couldn't talk to him… 

"Oh…hi, Hinata." A familiar voice peeked around the corner and she lifted up her head, trying desperately to wipe away those tears before he saw, but she couldn't stop. Hinata remembered that moment that once she started crying, she couldn't stop immediately and that just made her feel worse. To act like her old self in front of the one she loved. "You come here too? I'm bored and I don't feel so well, so I don't think I can take you out to ramen toda—EH?! Hinata-chan? What's wrong?!"

"N…nothing…" She avoided his gave and tried to walk past him, but—

Naruto pressed her against the wall, tired blue eyes glaring intensely at her. "Don't tell me it's nothing, Hinata-chan! I walked all this way to talk to you and then what?! You give me the cold shoulder like everyone else does?!" He let her go, and angrily stuffed his hands in his pockets, shoulders hunched. "If…if that's the way you wanna be…then…FINE WITH ME!" He stomped off.

Hinata felt worse than ever as she sank down from the wall, tears still flowing.

Naruto hated her. And he didn't…he'd never…he wouldn't ever think of her as nothing but a nuisance ever again…

She didn't notice that he hadn't been wearing his headband and that his clothing looked sluggishly put on. Hinata also didn't notice his trembling shoulders as he rounded the corner and a few blocks later, clench his hands against the wall, asking himself, "Did I do something…to piss Hinata-chan off? It's not fair…not fair…she's so nice, so why…" His eyes grew teary, but Naruto refused to cry. "…why? Why was she acting like everyone else used to?! WHY?!"

It took only a few seconds, before Naruto pushed that hurt feeling down and swallowed, before putting on a grinning face, carefree, and walking past the villagers back home to his apartment. But he felt ache in his chest.

When Naruto arrived, he closed the door softly behind him, before falling back first on the couch, legs and arms, whole body sprawled out, as he stared boredly up at the ceiling. "Why…?" He whispered to himself, his eyes almost empty.

He didn't know what to think.

Hyuuga Hinata, one of his good friends…

…the lump in his throat remained even after he tried swallowing several times to get that cold feeling down.

"_Why_ would she do that…?" his voice broke before he could continue and he looked sadly at that ceiling, finding only slight comfort in the chipping white paint base that had been with him all the years of his life he had been in this apartment. Forever.

_Forever gone,_

The wind whispered, blowing a leaf by the window, a leaf that never caught Naruto's attention.

_And never will come back._

It split into two and then the two parts swished away by separate wind currents.

_Gone._

Goodbye, then. See you again.

_I shan't see you again._

Never?

_Never._

Never?

_**NEVER.**_


	5. Why?

**Chapter 5: Why?**

"Oo, Oo, Hinata-chan, there's LOADS of ramen flavours to choose from! Didn't you know?!"

"A…ah…h-hai, N-Naruto-kun…" Naruto gave her a big grin at that, making her cheeks overheat. Hinata felt a little lightheaded, but felt…well, so…happy. Happiness was…was this what one called happiness, when you felt so warm inside whenever your special person smiled at you. "…a-ano…" She went back to proding her fingers nervously together, too shy to look up in his eye.

It was, rather, surprising, to say the least.

Naruto had apologized, and now, well, they were back to normal. It was as if their fight hadn't even happened in the beginning at all. Thinking of which…what had prompted her to start the fight at the beginning? Hinata bit her lip, before meeping at the sudden breath on her cheek.

"You okay, Hinata-chan? I called your name a couple of times but then you didn't answer!" He puffed up his cheeks and crossed his arms. "It's not nice when people don't listen, y'know!"

"A-ah, g-gomenasai…N-Naruto-kun…" Hinata flushed a brilliant scarlet as Naruto laughed, grinning from ear to ear.

"No biggie! Just checking to see if you're still my friend!" He dug back into his ramen, slurping down happily. Hinata smiled faintly, happy to see the boy so…so…

'…_irresponsible. I'm glad…I can…enjoy something like this with Naruto-kun.'_

"WOO!" Naruto heaved out a grand sigh, patting his stomach. "We're done! Eh? Hinata-chan, you haven't finished your food yet!"

"A-ano, I-I can't finish it all—"

"Oo, oo, you still have some noodles left! Can I have 'em?"

"S-sure."

Eagerly, Naruto clicked his chopsticks once, licking his lips before taking the noodles from her bowl. "Thanks, Hinata-chan! Here ya go, old man!" Naruto slapped down the required money for the bill. "Gama-chan's all fat because of the last mission!" He took out his frog wallet and waved it in her face. "Hey, hey, Hinata-chan! Doesn't Gama-chan look cute when he's all fat? He really does look cuter, y'know! I mean, just a few days ago, poor, poor, Gama-chan was all ugly, but not he's cute again!"

Hinata laughed alongside him. His carelessness and goofing off made her feel like she was…free of any constraints she had as a Hyuuga main branch clan member and the daughter of the clan head himself.

"C'mon, Hinata-chan! I'll walk you home!"

Immediately, she stuttered, turning pink, "I-it's n-not—y-you d-don't have to, N-Naruto-kun! I-I can walk b-by myself!" Hinata continued her protests up until Naruto rolled his eyes and dragged her along.

"Don't_worry_, Hinata-chan! No one'll hurt you while _**I'm**_ around!" He made a heroic pose that brought laughter from his companion. "Soooo, what's new? Is Neji-I've-finally-got-that-stick-outta-my-ass-because-Naruto-sama-beat-him all and well? Is he pushing you down? Remember, Hinata-chan! He does, let me know! I'll kick his ass again!"

"N-no, n-nothing…"

"That's good." Naruto laughed, before looking sharply up ahead. "Eh? Hinata-chan, izzat your adult brother or something?" Hinata turned to look at his pointing finger to the figure coming up the road they were walking on, quite close to the Hyuuga estate.

"B-but, I-I don't h-have a—" She froze at the sight of who it was, before remembering exactly how she and Naruto had gotten into a fight in the beginning. Immediately stepping away from Naruto, she didn't see the hurt and confused look on his face, her eyes looking to the ground as she bowed her head. "G-gomenasai, O-otou-sama, I-I—"

"Hinata, go to your room." Hyuuga Hiashi said stiffly, turning his cold gaze to Naruto. "_He_…and I need to have a talk."

"B-but—" Hinata looked trapped between obeying her father and leaving her crush to his mercy. "I-I—"

"Don't worry, Hinata-chan!" Naruto grinned at her. "It's alright! Besides, your big brother's right! It's pretty late, so you should really go to bed, y'know!"

"H-hai…" She stammered, bright red, and she stumbled into the house warily, too shocked to correct Naruto that Hyuuga Hiashi was her _father_. What had just happened? The moment he had said, 'Don't worry', she had felt an instant calm envelope her entire being. Now, shut off from all contact with him at the moment, she couldn't help but feel worried and so cold inside.

It was if her insides had been turned to ice and the whole world would end.

What was her father going to talk to him about?

Hinata found herself walking up the stairs and sitting on the base of her bed, before watching the night sky out of her window. Then, she made her way to the bathroom for a quick shower before bed.

Though, she knew, that she would have trouble sleeping…

* * *

The next day, in the afternoon, Naruto came back from an early mission that had started at 5 AM. Hinata hadn't had a chance to talk to him, but upon noticing him enter the library of which her father had instructed her to study in order to gain further knowledge, she felt shy and a little scared.

He yawned a big huge yawn, before settling down noisily in a chair and folding his arms on the table, resting his chin on them before his head fell down and he slept. Hinata hadn't expected this. To be honest, she had never seen him tired at all. Always, he was, always energetic and ready to face the world.

'_I wonder if I should wake him up…'_ She thought, before remembering that she was here to study, not to ogle her crush. Blushing furiously, even though she hadn't done anything, she turned back to the huge textbook in front of her, but from time to time, her eyes strayed back over to the sleeping blond.

To be honest, Naruto wasn't doing anything really, except snoozing. It was…to say…

…kinda cute.

'_Just like a fox kit…'_ She marveled in wonder, before jumping when a huge stack of books were dumped on the table space in front of Naruto by accident, and the librarian hissed an ear-splitting, "SHHHHH!" '_Does anything wake him up? That was…pretty loud.'_ Indeed it was. The ringing in her ears had yet to stop.

Several times, Hinata read a bit from her textbook before looking up at him, and before long, she spent less time on studying and more time on watching him. Then, her father's strict face came into her mind, and meeping slightly she would hurriedly turn back to study. Now, she was spending more time studying…but that didn't mean she didn't look up at Naruto's slumbering form from time to time.

It was, to say, peaceful, and evertime Hinata nervously looked to up check if he was still there, and not a dream, not a quiet and peaceful looking—if one could teasingingly call him one by looks—an angel, almost. It was…as though this was beauty and heaven and…and…

Pretty soon, the only ones in the library were he, the librarian and herself.

Hinata was content enough to watch him from afar, though looking away quickly when he moved, as though doing something forbidden. She couldn't help it. He seemed so peaceful…so…and…so…

…quiet.

She yawned herself, covering her mouth with her hand, before going back to her book.

* * *

"Miss? Hyuuga-san?" She was being shook gently awake and she awoke, the librarian beside her. "It's time to close up, Hyuuga-san."

"Oh! Gomenasai!" Hinata leapt out of her seat and bowed in apology.

"It's quite alright. Are you borrowing that book?" Hinata looked shocked.

"B-but, it's—isn't it a r-reference book?"

"Of course it is, Hyuuga-san, but for you, I may make an exception."

"N-no, it's alright. I j-just came for some studying…"

"We're closing in five minutes." The lady bowed. "Please keep that in mind, Hyuuga-san." Then, the librarian made her way back to the desk and began to turn off all the computers in the library. Hinata watched her for a couple of minutes before turning back to Naruto.

…he wasn't there.

Had he been kidnapped?! Had he been screaming and kicking but she hadn't heard?!

She was ready to freak out before common sense took over and she managed to will her beating heart still, taking good long breaths in and out. Of _course_, Naruto wouldn't be there! What had she expected, him to wait for her? He didn't even know she was there! In that corner of which she had been studying, she could see him through the gaps in the shelves, but he couldn't see her. At least…if he wasn't looking for her.

'_He probably went home._' For some reason, this realization made her shoulders slump as she put away her notes in her bag, and exited the library to the librarian's bow. '_Now what do I do?'_ Hinata wondered blankly. '_The library closes at 8:30…so…what__**do**__ I do?'_

She still had an hour before her curfew. Surprisingly, this morning, her father hadn't made a comment at all about what had happened last night, her and Naruto walking home, _or_ she breaking his rule—in fact, he barely acknowledged her at all, let alone her breaking her curfew by coming home at 10:39.

Breathing out a sigh, Hinata was slightly shocked to see vapour. '_It must be turning into winter soon…'_ She thought , looking up into the sky. '_Well, it__**has**__ been fall…but it has been awfully warm lately. Will it snow?'_

Hinata wondered where she was going.

Her feet were moving for her, and she gave no fight.

After all, it wasn't like she had anything to do.

'_Wait…I think I know this route…_'

A few more blocks confirmed that.

'…_this…this is the way to N-Naruto-kun's house!'_

She cringed in immediate realization that…that…she was either becoming quite desperate for his company or…maybe she was worried. But then again, one day without a word from him wasn't the end of the world. Perhaps he was busy.

Hinata forced her feet to stop a few metres away from the corner where you just had to turn and then a few metres more, there was the apartment building Naruto lived in. Looking up onto the topmost story, her eyes gazing from one window to another. Some lights were on, but the majority of the ones in the apartment building were off. After all, not everyone would be home this early of the night, especially as it was a weekend.

She wasn't surprised to see Naruto's light off.

'_He must be eating ramen at Ichiraku…'_

Hinata began to turn around, before she stopped abruptly, closing a hand over her chest, at the rapid thumping and her nervous breathing all of a sudden, slumping back against the wall. Her cheeks were bright pink, but that might've been because of the cold. She was glad she was wearing a jacket, but her calves were freezing with tingles. They could have been like jelly, but Naruto-kun was nowhere near, so-!

'_I'd better go home…'_ The way home was taken in silence. '_Even though, Otou-sama expects me home by at least nine because he wants me to study…I don't think he knows the library schedule…'_

But why?

Her eyebrows furrowed as she realized that, on the way to Naruto-kun's house, she had felt…well, like she was…

She stopped after traveling halfway back to her house, staring up ahead, clouds of vapour drifting from her mouth as the wind's ice cold breeze attacked her from behind. Hinata hugged her jacket close to her, teeth chattering slightly.

'_It's cold. I should probably hurry.'_ Nodding to herself, she ran, with the wind attacking her back. It did not let up until she arrived near the gate that signified the Hyuuga property. Looking confused at where she had came, Hinata shrugged to herself, not giving it a second thought before entering the estate.

* * *

The next day, Hinata started to grow worried. Why was she getting worried? It wasn't as though, if Naruto hadn't talked to her for a whole day, that, it was the end of the world. He had a life too, she knew, but…she couldn't help but feel worried when she didn't see him eating at Ichiraku when she walked by it in the morning to get to her team meeting place. On the way, she bumped into Kiba.

"G-good morning, K-Kiba-kun…" She bowed. Today, Kiba had his hood off, but his jacket was still on.

"Oh, hey, Hinata!" Kiba grinned, before scratching Akamaru behind the ears in his jacket that had been zipped up to a certain height to accommodate. "We're going to the pet shop to try out that new dog food."

"I-I see…" Hinata's voice trailed off as Kiba frowned suddenly. "W-what's wrong…?"

"I dunno." He shrugged. "I guess it's cause that ass of a dead last usually comes bursting into the conversation like, _'I never thought you'd eat dog food, Kiba! Proves you're just as much as a dog as your mutt!'_ Y'know, teasing like that." Heaving a huge sigh, he shook his head, scratching it before continuing to walk. "I'm depending too much on his interference. I hate it, but you get used to expecting his idiotic loudness, don't you, Akamaru?"

Akamaru barked in reply and Kiba nodded.

"Yeah, you get used to that. Hey, speaking of which…" He turned back to Hinata, hands in his pockets. "Hinata, have you seen him?"

"N-no, not t-today." She shook her head. "W-why?"

"Mm-mm." Kiba shrugged. "I guess it's because he's always near you, I guess. He's pretty close. Okay, see you next week, Hinata."

"W-wait! Where a-are you going?"

He looked at her confused. "What? Didn't you hear? All the D and C-rank missions have declined in supply, because somehow, they all got finished by someone." He shrugged. "Damn it, I wanted to try out one of our new jutsu on a thief or something, eh, boy?"

Akamaru barked in acknowledgement.

"Yeah." Kiba laughed. "Anyway, remember Hinata, in case you forget, this whole week, Kurenai-sensei's off on a mission, and you know we can't take any without our sensei. They say she'll come back next week, so, yeah. Later."

"G-goodbye…" She waved, before watching him disappear into the crowd. Now she stood wordlessly, staring ahead into space. _Now_, what was she supposed to do? She had nothing really, and Hinata wasn't really keen on studying. Yes, she knew the advantages but… '_Otou-sama didn't really say I __**had**__ to study in the mornings. He just said to study after my missions.'_ At least, she tried to convince herself that.

Hinata still felt guilty, though.

'_I-I guess I'll go to the library—_'

"Did you hear? Someone's in emergency!" She perked an ear at that. Hinata didn't want to eavesdrop, but…this sounded…well, she wanted to know what it was about. Who was in emergency? She hoped it wasn't anything serious. But then again, if it was emergency…

"Yeah? So?"

"You idiot! It's that brat!"

"Uzumaki, eh? Good riddance. Hey, these potatoes are overpriced!"

"Are you crazy? This is a good deal!"

"You're blind, you fat pig!"

"I am not! And if anyone's fat, it's your mother!"

"How's she fat?!"

"Her oversized arse, that's how!"

She felt cold all over as the two people arguing left to go grocery shopping, squabbling over what kind of price potatoes should be really be and throwing insults at each other. Hinata didn't know what to do. No, she wasn't bursting out in tears even though that was the exact thing she wanted to do at this moment in worry. She just felt…alone, not, wait, she, she just felt insecure…and, well…really…empty.

* * *

"A-ano…is Uzumaki…Naruto okay?"

The receptionist looked up to loudly state something rude in the person's face before faltering. It was a Hyuuga. He could tell from her eyes. "N-no—I mean, y-yes, Hyuuga-san—I mean, I really don't know." Best not state that he really couldn't care less if the buffoon died or not, after all, if a _Hyuuga_ asked about him, perhaps this one was 'friends' with the boy. Friends. Pfft, yeah right. But better to not risk it.

"I-I see…" Hinata was quiet. "I-is it—is he still in emergency? I-is it serious?"

"Hyuuga-san, I'm sorry," NOT. "But unfortunately, I'm uninformed about the status of any patient except for when they come in and when they sign out. And, this is quite rare, but if a doctor tells me that the patient is…well, whatever status, I am to phone the family."

The phone rang then, and the receptionist picked it up.

Hinata listened to the snippets of conversation on his side.

"Yes? Oh, who? Oh, yes, the brat Uzumaki—err," He looked warily at her out of the corner of his eye. "—_san_. Yes, but there's…well…think '_eyes_', think hard and you'll get my drift. Yes, you understand. Okay, so how's—oh, he's out of emergency? H-hai, I understand." With a shoulder holding the phone to his ear, he clicked out a pen and flipped the pages of the clipboard. "Uzumaki…just let me find his name—here!" Then, he scribbled something on it, before flipping the pages back and reporting, "Yes, I've done it. What? Yeah, she's still here… What? Do what? Oh, okay. Understood. Alright." Then, he hung up.

"Uhm…not to b-be rude, but w-what was that conversation a-about?"

"Confiential, I'm sorry to say," NOT. "I'm afraid I can't tell you," NOT. "if you're not a member of his family."

"I…I see." She quieted down. "Erm, m-may I visit him?"

"Sorry," NOT. "But no." Afterthought. "Hyuuga-san."

"Oh." Hinata frowned, and he immediately panicked, flipping through the pages of his clipboard.

"B-but, uhm, I was sure he was—ah yes! Here! Hyuuga Neji was currently admitted an hour ago. You may go visit him, and if you happen to bump into a doctor, you can ask about that Uzumaki—_san_ there."

"Arigatou," She bowed. "Thank you. What room?"

Relieved that Hinata wasn't pressing him about Naruto, he spoke clearly, "203." The relief in his voice was apparent, and Hinata noticed that, before nodding quietly and opening one of the hospital doors and entering the hall, before climbing up a flight of stairs on her left.

It wasn't really hard, really, to not feel guilty about not going to Neji-nii-san's room. Neji-nii-san probably didn't want her company, anyway. He had to 'train', like always. Hinata found her way to Naruto's room quite easily. Just follow the people who scowled about 'brat' and 'loudmouth' and 'prankster'. Go in the direction they just came from.

* * *

They were coming out of room 207. How ironic Neji-nii-san's room was so close to Naruto-kun's. A few doors away, she heard a voice.

"Are you sure, Uzumaki?" That was definitely Neji-nii-san's room. Why was he out of his room? Perhaps his injuries hadn't been that serious…?

"…yeah, I guess." Answered Naruto's voice, drained of all potential happy life. She cringed at the anger and resentment hid behind it. "I mean, I don't…I really don't care anymore."

"What about Hinata-sama?"

Her ears perked up at the mention of her name. How funny for Neji-nii-san to mention her name right about now…

"…I really don't care anymore. She can just go…do whatever."

"And, pray tell, why?"

"Because I'm damn tired of it. I never want to see her face again!"

Hinata couldn't take it anymore. She turned heel and ran down the hall. She didn't care if she was loud or not, or why Neji had shouted, "Hinata-sama!" at noticing her departing back, or what Naruto's reaction had been to it. Hinata just ran.

* * *

She ran for, she didn't know how long, but she did know a few minutes ago, she had left the block of the hospital. Finally, she stopped somewhere. She was right in front of the memorial stone. The memorial stone in training ground-! This was where Naruto-kun became a Genin-!

It was all too much.

She fell to her knees and gave a strangled sob before bursting into tears.

And, truth be told, Hinata knew she wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon. All she knew other than that, was, just one word. One heart wrenching, strangled word that seemed to kill her off each time she thought it.

'_Why…?'_

* * *

"So now, what are you planning on doing, Uzumaki?" Neji asked as he came back into the room.

Naruto glared from his seating position on his bed. "I _**TOLD**_ you, I don't care about her anymore!"

"Tell me…Is this the Uzumaki Naruto that fought so hard to prove me wrong when I 'wronged' Hinata-sama?" Neji's voice was cold and sharp. Naruto didn't flinch, but his hands clenched into fists into the covers on his lap. "You disappoint me." He turned and left, closing the door behind him with a snap.

It was heavily quiet in this room, and Naruto scratched at his shoulder, where the bandages began, trying hard not to go looking down at his chest where they had wrapped tightly down up to his waist. Not that it was hard. They were pulled on so tightly, that he could scarcely breath without moving, let alone move his neck down. These were injuries that he had suffered on a _**C**_-rank mission because he had been thinking too much about Hinata. Damn it, he had to stop for BOTH of them. They…they couldn't keep on getting hurt. Hinata couldn't keep on getting hurt on him. He didn't want that.

"Tell me…" Naruto asked to himself, or, more or less asked Sandaime…oji-san… "…is this the life I signed up for, Oji-san? When I told you I'd be a shinobi?! Was _this_ the life that you wanted me to live, old man?! Tell me, isn't this life EXACTLY what I would've had if I hadn't been a shinobi at all?!"

Muffled laughing from behind the door answered Neji's previously asked question, but the Hyuuga was in no range to hear it. He had already left the floor and was signing out.

But, if Neji HAD been able to hear it, he would be able to tell quite easily, without a doubt, that Naruto's laughter…was _**forced**_ and_**choked**_.

* * *

"Damn it…" Naruto muttered, holding his head in his hands and cradeling it. "What have I done_now?_ I just wanted some space, then Neji comes around and pressures me like an asshole and now Hinata-chan's mad at me! What did _I_ do?!" He shouted at the wall, which turned a venomously dangerous yellow.

If someone had just walked in, they would've noticed that Naruto's face was strangely wrapped, especially heavily around the eyes.

His eyes.

Something was wrong with his body.

And possibly his mind.

* * *

**Author's Note:**** So, at first, my sis was all like, "You're watching too much TV". And I was like, "No, I don't!", in a cheesy, swiss accent before she threatened to tell about everything that happened starting from when I was 6...yeek.**

**I took this as a chance to decide to at least update one of my fics, and decided this one. Gaara's proving far too stubborn with a bad mouth... Anyway, I was typing up chapter 5 and was all like, this totally doesn't do justice. When I went to save it, I was like, Oo, what be this other chapter I know of not?**

**And, surprise, surprise! It was this chapter--UNFINISHED-! I liked this one better, so I decided to type and, well, yaa...ya got this product. And my fonts are back because I'm using Wordpad now. :3 Thanks for supporting me even though I don't update, guys! **


	6. Water

**Water**

"Take care not to damage your eyes any further, Naruto-kun." Shizune carefully removed his bandages and Naruto blinked his eyes open, squinting as the sun streaking through the window blinds into the room came into his eyes.

"Thanks, Shizune-nee-chan."

"Don't thank me." Shizune replied, carefully wiping away bandaging dressing from around his eyes with a warm, damp cloth. "Just be careful next time around on missions."

"Yeah!" Naruto grinned, and Shizune smiled at him once more.

"Good luck, Naruto-kun." And then Naruto was alone.

He looked around him, he looked. There wasn't anything. But he felt like so…_closed _in. _Caged_ in this place. It hurt. It really hurt that he couldn't go around and…just

"I hate you all." Naruto muttered to the walls. "…you echo. And I don't want to be alone." He seemed to shrink, hugging his knees to his chest, but his gaze grew firm, albeit a bit glazed over. "…but I have to do this. I can't keep on hurting her. Like it or not, what _he_ said was the truth. Heh. To think Neji-before-I-kicked-his-ass was even LIKE that ass was an understatement of the century. After all…" he sighed, letting his legs cross at the ankles once more and running a hand through his hair.

He didn't finish his sentence, but leaned back against his propped up pillow, staring at the ceiling.

"I hate ceilings."

The walls laughed at that.

"I hate walls too."

Silent laughter seemed to echo around him and Naruto glared holes into the ceiling. God damn it, he hated this life.

If only he could exchange it for something that wouldn't hurt as much…that wouldn't hurt him so much…

* * *

_I feel as though I am constantly flailing about…_

…_these useless motions hinder me from my best potential…_

_Yet…without them…_

_I'll drown in this pit of detestable waters…_

…_pits of waters that gladly accept me far too much…_

* * *

Unable to really think, Naruto had decided the only way to wake up was to fall into a lake. Or something. So he went to the training grounds, staring dully at everything, bitterly wondering why life was so complicated, making all these twists and turns in his life.

Friends, what were they? Every day, before he went to bed, Naruto would stare up at the ceiling, stare at all four walls of his room, a certain amount of whatever time on each, before he pumped his fist in the air, whispering, "Tomorrow, for sure."

Only he would ever know what he was promising himself.

But really, Naruto really didn't know.

There were a lot of things he hoped for, like friends, more friends, ramen, to be accepted, to be Hokage, to beat Sasuke, to get Sakura-chan to fall in love with him, to get Kakashi-sensei to teach him a kick-ass technique…

Perhaps all he really wanted, as he always stared at the ceiling, at all four walls of his room, for until he fell asleep, unable to forget that this was a cold place, that this place was lonely, that he was the only human here…

Maybe he just wanted to be with someone.

Have you ever really thought of that?

Standing directly at the lake's edge, Naruto had distant memories of the day Team 7 had been an official genin team…the day that Hatake Kakashi had passed his first team, the day Sakura had actually been really nice to him without an ulterior motive (he thought), and how HUMAN Sasuke had actually acted.

He didn't really feel like jumping today.

Every moment felt sluggish, pulling him down, like his body didn't want to move, it didn't want to have to exist. Existance… Naruto's eyes flashed a little with upset, before he swallowed, sticking his foot out. Then, he dropped his entire weight in along with it.

The water didn't have the absolutely cold, wake-you-up effect as he had hoped.

Rather, he felt almost in connection with it. Like, hey, the water understood, let me just show you a blue, blue world and we'll all be blue together and psshaw. Naruto gazed around as he moved his body so that he sunk deeper, kicking his feet a little.

His clothes created drag, and it was awfully heavy swimming, and soon, Naruto found himself standing at the bottom, before he sat down against a barrier of land, staring blankly before him, not even blinking at the way his lungs were pressing against his heart.

For some reason, everything seem to blur a little. His head seemed a little woozy and Naruto slowly closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep…so tired… Maybe when he woke up…maybe, just maybe he'd have the answer.

Just maybe.

* * *

_Look up, look up. See that bird flying free?_

_Isn't it lovely, isn't it grand?_

_Doesn't it make you calm down, doesn't it make you want to stay and watch?_

_Really, now._

_It makes me sick to watch it taunting its freedom about._

_**I hate it.**_

* * *

SLAP!

"URAAAGH!!" Naruto fell out of the bed he was in, his hand pressed on his cheek. "YOU! Who the hell did that?! Why did you do it?! Why?!"

"Finally, you're awake." Tsunade rubbed her temples before heaving a long sigh and gesturing for Naruto return back into the bed, which he did so, though with his joints cracking. He winced, instantly trying to move carefully as he sat himself back then. Then, she dimmed the lights so that the boy could calm down. "Naruto…who _said_ you could leave your hospital room?"

Naruto fidgeted with the blankets, avoiding her gaze. Tsunade-baa-chan wouldn't take it well, whatever he had been trying to do. Funny how his mind was blank now when he usually would blather things out. "…I wanted to get some air."

"You could've opened the window."

"You would've closed it." Naruto responded weakly, feeling a little dizzy.

"Naruto, what were you trying to do?"

"Do?" Naruto looked out the window, purposefully turning away from her direction as she made her way to the side of the bed, her arms folded. "I wasn't trying to '_do'_ anything."

"Really? Then explain why Kakashi-san brought you to the hospital, and said he found you at the bottom of the lake?"

"I fell in."

"Really?" Tsunade's voice sounded almost…amused? "If you fell in, I would no doubt have heard from Kakashi-san that you had at least looked like you were shocked."

"You had…Kakashi-sensei following me?" Naruto bristled, glowering at her murderously. "Tsunade-baa-chan, why the he--?"

"Because you're an idiot." Tsunade firmly made out between grit teeth, her eyes boring into his and Naruto found his anger mysteriously wiped away. "Why? You always do the things we least expect you to do."

"I don't know." Naruto muttered softly. "I feel…like something's come into me. Like…_realization. Truth._"

Tsunade's voice softened. "What kind of truth?" It shook, but Naruto only pulled the covers and blankets over his legs, before staring at her.

"Water accepts me so willingly into its grasp. So…it'll be that…water…will one day extinguish my life." Then, he lay sideways on the bed, bringing the covers and blankets up to his shoulders, his entire body direction facing away from her. "I used to be scared to die, that when I died, everything would be black and then I wouldn't be able to feel anything. Now, I…I just don't know."

"Naruto..."

Naruto didn't answer, choosing to let the silence of the darkness that reigned king in the room to answer. It gave a bigger impact and Tsunade's face fell emotionless as she closed the lights and left the room, closing the door behind her.

"…scared." Naruto mumbled. His body felt numbingly cold and his eyes stared at nothing in particular under half open lids.

He didn't fall asleep. Rather, sleep claimed him. Naruto didn't fight it; he just let it consume him.

Just like he had…his doubts and fears.

And it was just too bad…that those doubts and fears had started a long time ago…

…and recently manifested themselves…

* * *

"_What an interesting predicament…" The words on Hyuuga Hiashi's lips flowed as lightly as a spring river, though held dangers beyond recognition of the flowing rapids. "…that you and I would meet at such a place at such a time."_

"_Such a ah whadda?" Naruto blanked out. After all, he was still feeling woozy from all that ramen in his stomach. Eating warm food late at night tended to make him a little sleepy and close out the world around him._

_Hiashi stared at him unblinkingly with such a force that Naruto couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed. Wait…a __**little**__? Take that and multiply it by five thousand. And then stretch it for eternity if you can. It felt like he was being drowned in his own sweat. That might be a little gross image, but it felt just like it._

"_Uzumaki Naruto…" Naruto couldn't help but flinch as his name was said on that man's lips. He felt as if the blood in his veins had frozen and now he was just a chunk of ice, if he were not in one. "…what are you planning?"_

"_Planning…" He couldn't help but draw that out a bit. "Plaaaanniiiinnng…? I'm not planning anything."_

"_Indeed…" Hiashi didn't sound like he was in disbelief…but then again, he didn't sound like he believed him either. The frozen silence that fell in between them wasn't really necessary, unless Hiashi wished to spook Naruto out of his wits. Which was precisely what was happening. In the sheer cold._

_As if on cue, the icy cold wind blew and Naruto sneezed…__**right**__ at Hiashi. "Whoops." He stepped back as Hiashi, thoroughly disgusted, withdrew a cloth from the folds of his sleeves and wiped his face, before flinging it to the ground._

"_Pick it up."_

"_What?" Naruto looked at him, before looking at the cloth on the ground, before looking back again. This cycle continued for only a few seconds, but already, Hiashi could feel his patience being tested and it was not holding very well._

"_For hell's sake, do I need to spell it out for you?" Hiashi gestured to the cloth on the ground. "Pick it up. __**Now**__." His eye narrowed and Naruto found himself looking into those eyes, those deep, hate-filled eyes. No, not hate-filled. These eyes were calmly neglecting hate. The only emotion that swirled in those pearl orbs was a deep emotion, close to nothingness, but an emotion nonetheless._

_Naruto could've sworn he'd seen that look—that emotion, somewhere before…but he couldn't remember, because most of the looks he got from people were hate-filled, and Naruto didn't keep track of what emotion he was looked at with anymore._

"_Do you want me to pick it up today, or tomorrow? Because I'll wait if you want to be turned into a human icicle." Naruto cheerily joked, laughing a little, but it died away as the other party did nothing. "Uh…__**sir**__?" Nothing prompted him, but for some reason, a gut instinct (and Naruto trusted his gut instincts very, very much) told him to show manners or die, and to stop joking around._

_When Hiashi stared once more at the cloth on the ground, Naruto took the message and preformed it._

_Naruto bent down to a crouch and neatly picked it up from the ground, before jumping to his feet and handing it over. Only, it couldn't really be called handing it over, because Hyuuga Hiashi did not bring out a hand to receive it. Nor did he give any indications he wanted it back._

_He only turned around and entered his estate and closing the gate behind him. Naruto just stared, hand still out with the cloth, at Hiashi's departing back before an elaborate door closed behind him. Once it closed, Naruto slowly regained his senses, and his hand lowered by his side, still staring at that door._

_Then, he slowly turned around and walked home, stunned. He stayed like that all throughout the evening, and didn't sleep at all. He only lay with his back on his bed, staring deeply into the ceiling, his mind blank. The white walls around him seemed to close in, and the ceiling seemed to loom nearer and nearer until—_

_BAM!_

_The light box fell from the ceiling and whacked him clean on the forehead._

* * *

"…ake up."

What?

Naruto's eyes gradually opened and immediately blanched.

Sasuke was not amused. "Wake up, dobe. You're late."

Slowly, Naruto sat up as Sasuke started to walk towards the door. "Ne…Sasuke?"

"What is it, idiot? Not only are you late, you're brain-dead." Naruto stuck out his tongue at Sasuke's back, the instant the boy turned around to add something. "And Kakashi told us to—"

"Uh…" Naruto retracted his tongue just as Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Forget it, dobe. Figure it out on your own."

A few moments left Naruto wondering what Sasuke was just about to tell him. "Oh well," he shrugged, and pulled on his _zori_, tugging his headband tight into a firm knot at the back of his head. Grabbing his orange jacket from the chair, Naruto then prepared to leave the room. "Wait!" He ran back in and grabbed the shimmering necklace he couldn't believe he had removed. Probably Tsunade-baa-chan had.

Clasping it once tightly in his hands, Naruto bowed his head before his eyes jerked up in determination at the sky outside the window, and left. It didn't occur to him to ask permission to leave. It just seemed like…

"The sky's crying…" He murmured to himself, hand on the class of the windows, staring at the clouds gathering. "…but it's holding it in. Why?"

* * *

Elsewhere, Hinata found it in herself. "N-Naruto-kun…I-I should've k-known he wouldn't have l-liked m-me…"

A rumbling in the sky alerted her to look upwards, her swollen eyes hurting as she struggled to wipe away the remaining tears. It was time to go home. And possibly, it was time to give up on Naruto. Even though she may love him, it wouldn't work at all if he hated her that much.

The sky seemed to be holding back the rain, Hinata thought, as she started to walk home, hugging her thick jacket tight around her.

Something felt cold and sad.

It was possible that something was going to happen…


	7. Chase

**Chase**

* * *

_I can't find it._

_What am I supposed to be finding?_

_I can't find it._

_I can't find myself._

* * *

"You're _late._" Sakura grit out as she fumed. They had all been instructed to meet inside one of the empty Academy classrooms, but…! Naruto _just_ had to go and take his time. The wound from the last mission hadn't been all that serious, so why…?

"Sorry!" Naruto grinned like a reckless fool once more, but somehow couldn't find it in himself to keep on doing that. "Uhm, Sakura-chan…?"

"If it's about a date, I can't help you!" Sakura growled, but then at his shocked expression, calmed down. "Sorry, Naruto, what were you going to ask?"

"One thing: Why the heck are you both on the ceiling?" Naruto's neck craned back so far it hurt.

"Training, dobe." Sasuke snorted, before taking out a kunai and dropping it where Naruto's face was. The blond nearly had his a kunai speared into his nose and forehead had he not fell down onto his back by accident and rolled away at the last minute.

"WHAT THE HELL, TEME?!" Naruto pointed a finger angrily at him. "WERE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!"

"Well," Sasuke retorted, before he released the chakra on his feet and flipped before landing easily on his feet, a smirk on his face. "It's good to see the idiot is still there."

"WHAT, was that?" Naruto grit out.

"Naruto, if you hurt Sasuke-kun, you'll answer to my fist…!" Sakura warned.

"BUT SAKURA-CHAN!"

"Now, now," Kakashi coughed and Naruto just realized that the man had just appeared behind him, and that Sakura already back on the ground. "No fighting. Now, the reason I've brought you all here today is to give you several choices, and you will all have to make a decision."

"You're LATE!" Naruto accused but Sakura for once did not join in.

"A decision?"

"One of us…" For some reason, the entire atmosphere changed. "…has to leave Team 7 by the end of the day."

"What? Why, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked, surprised, hoping it wasn't her or Sasuke-kun who had to leave. Sure, Naruto was a a nice guy and all, and it didn't really matter much if he were a moron as he did well on missions, but Sakura didn't want to be separated from Sasuke-kun. '_Well,_' She reassured herself. '_If Naruto leaves, then he'll probably get a sensei who'll __**actually **__teach him…but…' _"That's not really being fair to us, Kakashi-sensei."

"What she said." Sasuke actually looked annoyed for once. "What gives, Kakashi?"

"Maa, you'll all being so scary..." Kakashi scratched the back of his head, complementing how to tell them all. "It's…a…kind of a long story."

"Long story meaning he'd rather read his stupid, perverted book than teach us." Naruto whispered to the only person who would actually listen. No one. But he whispered to Sasuke, so did that count?

Sasuke ignored him.

"OI!" Naruto hissed. "Look at me when I'm talking to you, TEME!"

"Oh, sorry, were you talking to the tree?" Sasuke stepped back. "There, you can go hug it."

"Why are you being a bastard?!" Naruto growled, grabbing the front of Sasuke's shirt. "I outta _kick_ your high and whiny Uchiha _**ass,**_** you prick**_**!**_"

"Naruto, let go of him!" Sakura exclaimed, tugging his hands away. "We shouldn't be fighting right now!" She turned to Sasuke, wringing her hands. "And, er…you too, Sasuke-kun. Kakashi-sensei, what was it that you wanted to talk abou--?"

She stopped, and all three Genin of Team 7 stared at the blank spot where Kakashi used to stand.

And all of Konoha heard her next words.

"_**KAKASHI-SENSEI!"**_

* * *

"Ow, ow, _**OW**_!" Naruto nursed the bumps on his head. "Why'd you hit me, Sakura-chan?!"

"You let Kakashi-sensei get away before we could ask him about what he meant!" Sakura chided him. "Geez, pay attention next time, Naruto!"

"I couldn't help it! I wanted to see Sasuke get scolded for once!" Naruto whined. "And why am _I_ the one getting hit?! Sasuke-teme is as equally to blame! If he hadn't--!"

"Pfft, it's your own fault for responding." Sasuke drawled out as they leapt off another roof in their search formation, his eyes shifting left and right for a familiar physical appearance of their sensei. "Anyway, keep in mind that Kakashi might be using a Genjutsu or maybe even a transformation to look like someone else."

"Alright!" Sakura looked determined. Naruto, not so.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He scowled as he looked down at the villagers below, his eyes scrutinizing each and every one of them. "Has it occurred to you that Kakashi-sensei might actually just dress up as someone else? You know, _without_ any chakra?"

"Naruto?" Sakura questioned.

"Yeah, Sakura-chan?" Naruto eagerly awaited for his idea to be called genius.

"Shut for a while, will you?" She asked, not to be rude, but to get him to focus at the task on hand. "We have to concentrate, remember?"

"But--!"

"We're trying to find Kakashi, not forming theories as to why and how a Special Jounin would run away and hide himself from his own team." Sasuke snorted. "Don't be a loser and mess this up, dobe. Just keep your eye out. Times like these we need more of a pair of eyes than an extra mouth."

Naruto glared heavy daggers at him, but he sighed, and said to Sakura, "Fine, but only because it's you, Sakura-chan."

"Right," Sakura murmured, not really paying attention as she spotted someone will silver hair amidst the huge crowd in the marketplace. "_**THERE! **_Down there!" She pointed, but almost immediately the figure started running and she had to move her finger so that it followed him. "He's got to be a shinobi to run that fast at this time in the market!"

"He's fast!" Sasuke commented as they rushed after it. But no matter how fast the three ran, the figure always seemed to be at least ten meters away from them. "Sakura, keep an eye on his positioning! Naruto, go with Sakura and make sure he doesn't get away!"

"Hai!" Sakura ran ahead, even though her stamina was lessening. She was still determined to catch their sensei.

"Alright, now let's see my awesome—" Naruto had been ready to jump right into action by jumping down, but Sasuke pushed him back.

"Don't bother, you'll only cause a disturbance." He said dryly. "I'll get him." Sasuke wound several ropes from his pouch and flung it down, his eyes calculating exactly where the figure would head. Without a moment's hesitation, he pushed off the roof and bounded off another, before jumping forward into the air and flinging the chords at the figure.

The weights at the end of the chords shifted in mid fight and Sasuke tugged several to the side with his other hand as he landed, before pulling back. The result was that the counterweights slammed into the figure and wrapped around the torso, before getting pulled back at a 45 degree angle into the air and towards Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura noticed this and skidded to a stop before running back towards the two.

Sakura pulled out several chords of her own and flung them around the man, before pulling towards the direction she was running, helping to guide the smooth accent. "Naruto!" She yelled, "CATCH HIM!"

Naruto obliged without another word, creating the seal in his hands and shouting, "**Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!**" Three clones were created into existence, and all together, they ran forward and skidded under the man to catch him. "OOF!" Naruto pushed the man off and groaned, his clones popping. "I feel hurt all over."

"That's what you get for not being careful, Naruto!" Sakura chided him gently, undoing the chords around the man. "Err, Sasuke-kun? We've caught Kakashi-sensei. Do you think we should interrogate him now or something?"

Sasuke stared long and hard before undoing his as well at the surprised looks of Naruto and Sakura, shaking his head. "Whoever this is," He said, easily undoing the tangles in the chords and placing the chords back in his back pouch. "he isn't Kakashi. His movements may be that of a shinobi, but at best I'd say he's Genin level. Chuunin, at the very least, would've created some traps along the way."

"Wow, how'd you figure that out?" Naruto asked. The man stayed quiet.

"Judging from his running," Sakura bit her lip, "He hasn't really been trained as a shinobi. More or less, he's been given pointers, however. He's had to have known that we would be the ones to follow him, or at least he's had to have had some heads up to run away. I mean, ninja come every time, and there's no point in running if you're innocent, right?"

"Speak." Sasuke had a kunai pressed against the man's throat. "Did Kakashi put you up to this?"

"Hey, what are you doing to him?!" Naruto was just about to knock the kunai away before Sakura pulled the man's hair—er, wig off as well as his mask and hitai-ate, to reveal someone they didn't know. "Oh, hey, that's not Kakashi-sensei!"

"No duh, Naruto." Sakura rolled her eyes. "So who are you?"

"The one who is leaving," The man spoke in a clear voice, as he rubbed at his upper arms to regain circulation from the chords that had captured him. "is the one who proved the least helpful in this pursuit. Uzumaki Naruto, you are charged." And then he popped out of existence.

"What the…?" Sasuke's facial features hardened. He hadn't expected the man to be a Kage Bunshin, as they tended to pop upon hard contact, judging from how Naruto did it. But from this… "Kakashi must have done it."

"But, wait! Kage Bunshin _**have**_ to look like you!"

"Idiot." Sakura rolled her eyes. "I bet you that Kakashi-sensei made his Kage Bunshin transform into some guy so that we'd relax our guard." Sasuke grunted. He didn't like to be reminded that. Naruto smirked at him, but Sakura hit him on the head. "Naruto, concentrate! Why would Kakashi-sensei have us do so much just to catch one bunshin?"

"Besides," Sasuke spoke up, staring at where the bunshin had been. "The Bunshin held back and didn't fight the chords. It was as if he _wanted_ us to catch it."

"Hey, guys," Naruto asked, "We're near Chuunin level, right?"

"I'm overqualified for it." Sasuke snorted, but Sakura seemed interested enough.

"Except for Sasuke-kun, we're not, but maybe we're getting close. What about it, Naruto?"

"Did you notice that no matter how fast we were running, he always seemed to be JUST out of range for close combat?" Naruto asked. "It's as if it was told not to attack and only to lead us to somewhere or something before Sasuke or Sakura reacted to its actions or something…"

The realization dawned upon the other two. "Naruto, you're a genius!" Sakura whispered.

"I am?"

"Actually, it's completely a fluke." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "But that's the first good thing you've thought of since you were born. Good for you, dobe."

"OI!" Naruto glared, but then he realized what they were up to. "Oh…! I see."

"We'll catch him," Sasuke smirked as he looked down at the marketplace. "Here's the plan…"

But, for some reason, neither of the three could wipe it from their minds what the Kage bunshin had said.

"_Uzumaki Naruto, you are charged."_

What did that mean?

* * *

Finally, Kurenai-sensei was back. Hinata couldn't help but feel a great deal of pain having been lifted from her shoulders the moment she saw her scarlet-eyed and ruby-lipped Jounin sensei. "Ah! W-welcome b-back, K-Kurenai-sensei!"

"Why, thank you, Hinata." Kurenai looked surprised. "What have you been doing while I was away? Speak to Naruto?" She edged on. But she stopped short at Hinata's crestfallen face. "Did something happen?" She asked softly.

Hinata wanted to shake her head and say, 'No, it's all fine', but somehow she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her head was lowered so that Kurenai-sensei wouldn't be able to see her trying to hold back her tears, like the sky yesterday, which seemed to hold back its rain. Yesterday, it wasn't until she had entered the house and entered her sanctuary of a room that it started to rain.

The sky started to cry once she was in a place where she could cry herself, the last place where she could be in a refuge.

"Hinata…"

"Huh?! You're back, Kurenai-sensei?" Kiba's loud voice came over as he came into view with Akamaru in his jacket and Shino coming in behind him.

"Good morning, Kurenai-sensei." Shino nodded.

"Good morning, the two of you." Kurenai replied before looking at Hinata. "Hinata, I'll speak to you after…?"

"Please, Kurenai-sensei. I don't…want to talk about it."

It took Kurenai a couple of seconds to realize that Hinata hadn't stuttered at all.

"Alright, Hinata." But her eyes still held defiance as well as confusion. "But we'll need to talk about it later."

"H-Hai, Kurenai-sensei."

* * *

It was only a D-rank mission. They were only supposed to be taking care of babysitting. So how did it turn out like this?

How the HELL did a FIVE YEAR OLD get his hands on a SCROLL and actually PREFORM an A-rank Fuuton Jutsu?!

"Hinata!" Kiba shouted over the roar of the wind as it whipped around them, preventing their movements from becoming too subtle. Each movement used all strength, and the whipping wind prevented them from communicating. "Kurenai-sensei! Shino! Where are you guys?!"

Akamaru barked and whined inside Kiba's jacket.

"Calm down, Akamaru!" Kiba's voice shook as the wind attacked from all sides. "This jutsu's gotta let up soon enough, right?" He placed his hands over Akamaru's poking out head and made the dog turn around to burrow further into his jacket. "Be strong!"

"_K-Kiba-kun!_ _Shino-kun! K-Kurenai-sensei!"_ Hinata's voice came out.

"Hinata! Where are you?!" Try as he might, he couldn't move. That was, until Akamaru bit him right on the palm and he found himself staggering. "Akamaru, what-!"

That was when he noticed that Shino was before him. "Get up, Kiba. It's only a Genjutsu."

"A what?" Kiba blinked. "Err, Kai!" And just like that, the force against him stopped, and Kiba could see the sun shining and the awfully green grass below him. "Huh? What? Huh?"

"Apparently, that was an old Genjutsu designed to affect the senses. A five year old could use it because the scroll was designed as ulterior protection for those unable to use their chakra." Shino stated before turning away. "Come, Kurenai-sensei is waiting with the child."

"…h-hey!" Kiba stood up. "Where's Hinata?"

"Hinata?"

…

"HINATA, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?!" Kiba yelled out in a panic. "Akamaru! Sniff her out!" And just like that, the two were off into the woods. The sunset gleamed and the waters pulverized the sand like a tsunami. Aka, a disaster to come.

Shino sighed softly. If Kiba had stayed to listen, he would have been reminded that Hinata had been assigned another job within this mission. He brought out a single one of his kikai bugs and gave it the order to keep an eye out on Kiba. Heavens knew the boy would get into more trouble than he was worth.

"Speaking of which…" Shino looked in the direction of the house. "…I wonder what's taking Hinata so long?"

* * *

Hinata couldn't believe it.

"Yo," Kakashi waved at her rather lazily, his eye looking through the orange book with lazy ease before he giggled. "How are you doing, Hyuuga-kun?"

"U-Uhm, f-fine, Kakashi-sensei." She bowed before looking at her feet. It just wouldn't do for someone as low ranked as her to speak face to face with a superior, or even another sensei. In fact, it wasn't until Kurenai-sensei specifically ordered her to just relax and think of her as another mother, that Hinata was able to look at her face to face.

"Saa, Hyuuga-kun, what're you doing on a day like this?" Kakashi slouched back against the doorway, glancing up at the work she was doing before back at the book and flipping a page. "Stuck indoors?"

"U-um, o-our client w-was going t-to find a d-document f-for Kurenai-sensei, b-but h-he couldn't f-find it, s-so…" Hinata busied herself with stacking the boxes away and searching in another one, feeling flustered. "…so…"

"…hrm, I wonder how Naruto's doing?" Kakashi wondered aloud, looking at the ceiling and closing his book shut with a snap.

Hinata dropped a box at that, and scrambled to put them all away. "G-gomenasai, K-Kakashi-sensei! I-I'll clean it u-up!"

"I wonder…"

"!"

Kakashi was currently right beside her helping her. Hinata couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. Here she was, right next to the infamous Hatake Kakashi, who was so much of a higher rank than her. She didn't have the authority to talk back to him!

"It's alright." Kakashi smiled with his eye, before straightening up. "So, tell me, how are things with you and Naruto?"

"I…i-it…'s…a-ano…" Hinata purposefully looked away, feeling her cheeks rise as she thought about the boy. "…he…"

"You wouldn't believe it. But do you know what?" Not even bothering to hear her answer, Kakashi lazily slouched his way out of the room. "I have orders to kick him off my team. Hrm, I wonder where they came from." And the sliding door shut behind him.

Hinata had her hands placed flat against the stack of books.

…what? What?

"A-ah!" She stood up immediately and ran over, flinging the door open. "K-Kakashi-sensei!"

"Yeeeees?" Kakashi smiled, waving a little. It appeared as though he had positioned himself right in front of the doorway. Hinata nearly had a heart attack, as she started saying incoherent sounds, before… "By the way. Naruto's going to be coming here for a while. If you don't mind, look after him, will you? Ja." He poofed into smoke, leaving Hinata stunned as heck.

…what? What?

"N-Naruto-kun…?"

* * *

"Naruto, did something happen while you were in the hospital?" Sakura asked.

"Uh, _no_, why do you ask?" Naruto looked away. The three of them were sitting on one of the stone benches in Konoha's store district, all currently weary. They had searched for several hours but to no avail. Hatake Kakashi had not left any more clues.

"Sakura, do you think you could get us some drinks?" Sasuke asked. Sakura beamed and nodded, before racing off to find a shop. Sasuke then turned to Naruto. "Okay, _what's_ up?"

"None of your business, teme." Naruto stuck out his tongue.

"Actually, it is _completely_ my business. I'm embarrassed to be called your teammate, and even more so, your 'friend'. You've become so pathetic as to get injured by a _cat_, and you need our help in getting up on your own feet. What's going on, dobe?" Sasuke looked stone-cold at him.

Naruto ducked his head, clasped his fingers together and sighed hugely. If Sakura had been here, she'd probably have pestered him to answer quickly. In a way, he was grateful for Sasuke sending Sakura away on an errand, but…he couldn't…

"Well…it's a long story. And you wouldn't understand anyway."

"Give me the gist of it. We have no time to listen to long stories. Besides, if it's something you know, what makes you think I don't know it?"

"_Fine_." Naruto snapped, wearily glaring. "So, tell me Mister Uchiha Sasuke, have you ever fallen in love?"

Sasuke blinked. "_What?_"

"That's right, in _love_." At the stunned look on Sasuke's face, Naruto snorted and rolled his eyes. "See?! I told you."

"Shinobi don't _fall in love._ We're tools and we don't have even a right to."

"I _know._ But, have you?!"

"…no."

"See?!" Naruto threw his hands up in the air. "You can't help me if you've never fell in love, never had an attraction for anyone-!"

"Who did you fall in love with?"

"Someone."

"And why are you so messed up because of this…_someone?_" Sasuke arched an eyebrow.

"SHUT UP! I'm _not_ messed up, I'm only…" Naruto sighed. "I'm scared I'll hurt her. She's a good friend, and she probably doesn't think of me any more than that, but… Still, I can't help but think that I need to do something more…something _else._"

"Just be yourself."

"_Right,_ how _helpful._" Naruto quipped, "Just _be yourself._ Oh, how hard can that be, especially when I don't even know how _myself_ used to be."

Sasuke stayed silent for a moment, before looking up into the sky. "Did you see…the storm clouds yesterday?"

"Yeah, so what?" Naruto scowled.

"They were holding back for someone, dobe. By their own strength, they tried to hide away their tears and all their hurt. But it rained in the end, didn't it?" Sasuke turned to him, his eyes narrowing. "They weren't strong enough to hold back the rain. They weren't strong enough in the end. No one is completely strong enough. In the end, you'll fall apart like those clouds did, until you become a bloody mess of a person."

"How does that help?! I asked you for advice, not a life lesson, teme!"

"Don't hold everything back, Naruto." Sasuke stood up, his hands in his pockets, purposefully facing away from the boy. "You'll become like me. An _avenger._ I could've lived to be naive, carefree and all, but after…" A heavy atmosphere fell upon them. "…after that, well, it just didn't matter for me anymore. I had no more reason to live."

"No more reason to live than me, eh?" Naruto rolled his eyes. "How angsty." But his tone of voice was light.

"Actually, that event made me realize. What the _hell_ was my purpose to exist? A purpose to exist here—is that only a dream? Or are we really _all_ placed in life for a reason?" Sasuke sighed before looking back at Naruto. "I hate you, Naruto. I won't even care about existence anymore after I kill that someone."

"So it's down to I hate you, you hate me, and then what happened to the first question?" Naruto smiled.

"…" Sasuke sat back down and looked straight ahead. "What are you going to do now? Have you calmed down enough so that I can, without embarrassing myself, call you my teammate?"

"I think I could be called your 'best friend ever' without you have your mind embarrassed to bits now, yeah." Naruto grinned. "But I still has heck don't know what to do now…"

"I don't know, idiot," Sasuke casually eyed behind him in a glance that went unnoticed by Naruto to a figure hiding behind a tree. He stood up. "I'll go check up on Sakura."

"Huh? Okay, I'll come too—"

"No," Sasuke said firmly. "You'll stay here and wait."

"Huh?! BUT WHY?!"

"Just talk to her for a bit. And then probably you'll understand better." Sasuke left Naruto standing looking confused. "And when you two are done, come find me and tell me what you've found out about all this leaving Team 7 nonsense."

"What?" Naruto heard a snap of a tree branch and turned around to look, but the figure was already running away. "Hey! Wait!" Fast as the figure was, Naruto soon caught up with them in time and grabbed them back by the arm.

Only when the person turned around to look frightened at him, did he realize who it was.

"Hinata…chan?"

* * *

_Sorry, not really that much NaruHina. When I look back on this story, I find myself overwhelmed at what I did. **Why **did I do that?_

_Maybe it's development, or maybe my ability to make the character completely in character is disappearing. I don't know anymore, and I still think to myself that Naruto has fallen too quickly in love._

_Maybe it's something, but I want to hurt him, I want to make this story a little more realistic. Thanks for reading, anyway. Hopefully, I'll get my mojo back soon so I can type a better chapter for you all._


	8. In One's Heart

* * *

**In One's Heart**

* * *

_In my heart…there are many things I don't know._

…_but most of all is the wondering…if I was supposed to be born…_

…_Was I supposed to be created?_

_Was I supposed to be loved?_

_Why am I here?_

_I don't know…and I'm still trying to find out. Is that selfish of me?_

* * *

No, no, no.

It was absolutely _not_ supposed to be this way.

She was only supposed to just check up on him, see if he was alright. To find out if Kakashi-sensei was lying or not. But she knew in her heart, that it didn't really matter, because the instant she had seen him like that, she knew.

It was fear, if not instinct, that told her she had to get away. Fear that he would make good on his word.

"_I hate her."_

Hinata couldn't help but feel faint as Naruto's hand enclosed itself around her arm and pulled her back from running. It was all she could do not to collapse in a stumbling heap on the ground. She couldn't bear to faint here, not, especially as she might faint…right _on_ Naruto-kun.

She felt the heat on her cheeks rise as he stared in surprise at her, before leaning in closer. She meeped and pulled back, and alas, so did Naruto, and she couldn't help but feel…_disappointed_?

"Hinata-chan?" He whispered again, softly. It seemed like he'd been complementing many things. Hinata knew, because she had listened—but to only a bit! "How much…did you hear?" She shook her head wildly, biting her lip. Most of it had been too soft to hear.

"P-please let me g-go, N-Naruto-kun…" She shook. Naruto look almost hurt, but he let her go, dropping his hand to his side and just looking sadly at her.

"As you wish," He murmured softly, before turning back and walking away.

Hinata stared after him, stunned.

…what? What?

* * *

Naruto didn't know anything anymore. The sheer feeling of rejection threatened to collapse his soul. If felt like his heart was breaking, in a million, different pieces. It was like the apocalypse come early…but for only him.

Where was it?

Where had been the days he had looked at Hinata and had thought of her nothing more than a friend?

Wait. Did he still think of her nothing _more_ than a friend?

Naruto didn't glance back, but he knew that Hinata wasn't going to follow him, try to stop him. She didn't have the courage, and possibly, neither of them did. At this moment in time, Naruto felt like he had lost something he had never known he had.

The streets felt strangely empty for Konoha, and Naruto shivered as the wind blew at him. His whole body shook, and his eyes clenched shut.

"…hate this."

And so he left her, and the small bond they had started to break…

* * *

"Naruto!" Sakura called, waving. At the call of his name, Naruto looked up once in recognition and nodded before resuming looking at his feet. He was forever walking. Walking…for what destination? "_Naruto!"_ Sakura called, annoyed. "What happened with Hinata?"

At the mention of her name, he stopped dead in the street, stared in horror at her, before turning and jumping onto a roof, staring stiffly at Hokage Mountain. He didn't answer anything, but Sasuke guessed the answer anyway.

"Sakura, leave him be." Sasuke seemed to narrow his eyes and Naruto's back. Naruto could feel the pain in his teammate's eyes. Why? "If he's going to be like that, he might as well get kicked off of Team 7."

"B-but Sasuke-kun!"

"Think about it." Sasuke told her, before turning away. "Is a ninja with an emotional state like that useful on missions? He's failed as a tool. It's only fair he get kicked off. That goes for his pride too, so he won't get embarrassed. He's given up completely."

"I have _not!_" Naruto replied hotly, turning around, but he froze at Sasuke's glare.

"Oh, really now?" Sasuke's voice was like ice down Naruto's back and the wind blowing hard against him. "Then explain why you failed a D-rank mission? _Fail_? How can you _fail_ a _**D**__-_rank?! Face it, you're nothing more than _garbage_ the way you are."

"I'm not garbage." Naruto replied stiffly. "I can still fight."

"It doesn't matter," Sasuke scoffed, walking away. "You'll only drag us down, your mind isn't clear enough and you'll only fight for saving your own skin at this rate. You won't even spare a moment's glance at our progress, _teamwork_ that we're _supposed to focus on_. It's not that I care, really, however…"

Naruto glared daggers at his back, but Sasuke was unfazed.

"None of us will be able to work at our best potential with you dragging your lazy ass around. We don't need someone who'll only use energy when prompted, and we most certainly _don't need_ someone who won't even help out without being told to do anything. It'll be one less carcass we have to destroy in the end, and one less funeral to attend."

Sasuke's voice was soft, hard, and clipped. Naruto didn't know what to make of it anymore, especially as Sasuke's voice was carried by the wind to his ears, so that he heard each and every, every meaning, every syllable, every bitter emotion entrapped inside them.

Naruto noticed Sakura walking away as well. "S…Sakura-chan?"

"Sasuke-kun's right, Naruto." She looked up at him stonily. "For once, you're dead useless. You're a _failure._ I'm ashamed to be your teammate. I used to think you were an okay person to be around, but…_like this?_" And then Sakura left as well, leaving Naruto to stare at where they had been before looking up at the sky, stunned.

* * *

"…" He dropped his weight onto the roof, making several roof tiles shudder under it, before hugging himself, his eyes half closed. Naruto didn't know what to do anymore. "…give up?" He whispered to himself. "I don't want to…" He hugged his knees to his chest and buried his face in them, shaking. '_…give up.'_

Sure, Naruto didn't want to. But what was he going to do now?

* * *

It took a while before Hinata was able to fully understand the situation. It wasn't Naruto-kun who had worsened the small bond they had—it was _her._ _She_ was the one reason why he was so messed up, _she_ was the one who was hurting him even further.

Hinata didn't want this.

She didn't want it at all.

She just wanted to support him. She wanted to go back to the days where she'd spend her time watching him, just _watching_ and marveling at him. How Naruto's strength never gave out, how his raw determination kept him going on and on.

If it weren't for Naruto-kun, Hinata would have never been able to…to actually…

Actually be what? Actually _do_ what?

Frankly speaking…Hinata really didn't know anymore.

* * *

Now, if this were an alternate universe where they both were in high school, this little rejection would include other people trying to pull them further apart, as well as prevent their getting back together. Then, Hinata would probably get a fiancé to marry, and then Naruto would go running after her to stop the wedding, after Sasuke punches some sense into him and Sakura pleads with Hinata not to get married.

But this is not an alternate universe. Reality, as it was, prevented the two of them from getting together in the first place.

Ninjas were tools, and they were weapons. They could not feel, think or feel. Their primary goal was to fulfill what they were commissioned for, their duty was to see it complete. They were paid mercenaries, just extra people.

Love was completely out of the question. Especially _now_, at this age.

You weren't supposed to. Because then…your heart wouldn't be in your work.

Fate hadn't thought they were _special. __**Were you brain dead to believe?**_ After all…

…whoever heard of a happy ending?

The person who made this up must be living in a fantasy, because that's basically all it is…

* * *

"What are you doing?" Naruto looked up and shrugged. "That's pathetic—completely, and _utterly_ pathetic. You're a pathetic excuse as a shinobi—_you_ signed up for this! _You_ should have known what you were up against! Even if it _did_ mean this…"

Once more, Naruto sighed, and sat back against the rough trunk of the redwood tree, his head leaning back against the bark. It was really annoying—and it got boring as well, to yell at _yourself_. He didn't know _what the hell_ he wanted to know, but DAMN IT, Naruto didn't know anymore.

"One little shinobi got screwed over by emotions. The rest of the little shinobi stand and laugh…" Naruto murmured, remembering a line from a poem they had been taught back into Academy. The poet had been trying to convince the children that to stand 'out of the crowd', was not ideal. In all reality, Naruto thought it was stupid.

Or at least, he _used_ to.

"I wish someone would _just_ laugh." Naruto grumbled to himself. "Maybe it…it would be easier."

The wind blew, and the question of what Kakashi-sensei had been telling them, before leading them into a wild goose chase that really didn't get anywhere, drifted into Naruto's mind before it lazily disappeared to the back.

Naruto sighed.

A few leaves fell from the branches above, no responsibilities, nor ties to anything. Only one purpose, to grow and fall off once more.

Naruto wished his life was as simple as that.

His eyes were cast longingly down at the streets below, with their laughing people, and parents with their childrens, friends hanging out with others…and…Naruto glowered at several couples who openly displayed their affection, before turning away from them on the roof.

Laughter echoed up to him, but to his ears, they were empty of emotion—he couldn't hear happiness anymore.

"This is lame," Naruto grumbled, "I'm just a guy, she's just a girl. I should just kill myself and make it easier for everyone." He wasn't being lighthearted.

For once, Naruto was being complete and utterly serious.

* * *

When Kyuubi had been sealed, he hadn't been _asked_ whether or not he wanted to. He hadn't been _asked_ if he had been comfortable, and he certainly was NOT fricking happy at being sealed into some moody kid-turned-teenager.

When Kyuubi had been sealed, he hadn't _asked_ for his powers to be of little use to him, just luggage to slow him down. What _good_ was the power that could wash the entire earth in tsunamis and earthquakes, the power that could bring out lava from the depths of the earth, the power to end all life?

What _good_ was all that power if you could not use it?

Red skies had been Kyuubi's home, fire and anger, had been Kyuubi's constant energy. Revenge and hatred had been his motivation. And the memories of everything that had ever happened to him still lurked in his mind—Bijuu had no limit to what they could remember. That is, if they wanted to.

Most of the time, everything was dismissed as trivial.

A blessing and a curse, the memories served to enrage Kyuubi further, with each turn and swish of his nine tails, crammed into this pit hole.

Stuck sealed inside a _human_ of all things had not been something Kyuubi had enjoyed.

_**Power…!**_ He shrieked as his voice grew louder and harsher—an angry wind destroying all. He continued to thrust himself angrily at the cage that bound him into this hole, just so he could _feel_ something. _**Why can't I use it?!**_

His rage struck and swirled around him, the red chakra and aura that would forever be.

Kyuubi howled like only the Kyuubi no Youko could. The waves rippled, and he could feel their sway again the cage bars and splash against it, spraying him with water. The whole place trembled as he waved his tails around in agony—but alas, there was barely enough room as it was.

The pain, the anger, the sorrow, the anguish.

Kyuubi wanted freedom.

And so he pounded again, once more against the cage, doing something that would never really work out in the end…

* * *


	9. Chapter 9

* * *

_Just because you met when you were little doesn't mean it's anything special. Grow_ up_, you moron. When has it been that you fell in love and lived happily ever after? When has it been that it _actually_ became happy?_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

* * *

_Is life fair? Is happiness a lie?_

_I don't know, I don't know…_

_Just stop laughing. Stop pointing. Stop screaming and hating._

_I can't bear it, I can't, I can't…_

* * *

When Naruto was little, he'd think to himself that he actually had a family.

That one day, he'd be able to look at all those smiling faces and have one right on his own. One day, he'd have parents, ones who loved him very much. He'd have a little brother who'd follow him everywhere, a mother who was understanding, and a father who always had time for him.

And while he was at it at this moment, Naruto supposed he wanted to become Hokage.

It wasn't that he had given up.

It wasn't like that, not at all.

With a sigh that escaped through his lips, Naruto watched as the academy students streamed out of the doors like schools of fish in the waters. The sun that had begun to set cast an orange glow that made everything look beautiful.

A slight breeze swept through the leaves, but Naruto just zipped up his jacket and ignored it, his eyes trained on children of various ages, some accompanied by parents, a sibling, a relative or friend… He noted some who laughed without a care, some who strayed shyly back—those with friends, and those walking alone.

Friends were people that you could blend in with. You could be there, but in the end, not even exist.

A hidden cycle, a hidden meaning—with a broken smile that was filled with bitterness, Naruto stood up on the rooftop and turned to leave.

"Hey, who's that on the roof?"

"I think it's that Uzu-something kid. Y'know, the one who--?"

"Oh _man_ oh _maaaan._ Y'mean _that_?! My _mom_ says that he's responsible for why the teachers are so rough on us!"

"You're kidding me!"

Naruto closed his ears to the conversation, but several words still made it to him as he quickly left the scene.

"…moron!"

"Fool…!"

"_IDIOT. …hate…that guy."_

* * *

Hinata stared blankly up at the night sky, with its seemingly endless darken shades as it drew further on into black.

Where had the days gone when it had been that she had been allowed to be in love, when she had been allowed to admire? When had it been that Naruto had changed, and that she did as well? The sinking feeling in her stomach grew more noticeable as the moments passed by.

She _had_ to have changed.

Or else she wouldn't have even recognized this as her.

There was something she was avoiding.

There was something she was not considering, whether it was for her own good, or for her own happiness.

Somewhere in her mind, Hinata vaguely wondered why the stars were not out tonight, with the absence of clouds and the absence of anything foreboding. There was also concern with the lack of the moon—should it not be out there with the clouds gone?

After all, for the past few days, it had been clear, cloudless with beautiful stars and a bright moon with its many phases.

Hinata should've took this as a warning.

But then again, how can anyone truly notice the calm before the storm before it is far too late?

* * *

Tsunade stared solemnly at the paper she held in her hands, completely ignoring the people before her desk, waiting for her reaction.

Off to the side, Shizune stood nervously, eyeing her sensei, before eyeing the large group and back again. In her arms, Tonton made several noises akin to a pig, but seeing as Tonton WAS a pig in the first place, let's not go over to that.

Finally, one of the men spoke.

"Well? What is your reply, _Godaime_?"

Shizune would have slit his throat for such an impolite tone, had Tsunade not held up a hand, as though she knew what Shizune had been thinking. The young woman was both grateful and annoyed. Who did these people think they _were?_

Apparently, Tsunade thought the same thing as she raised her eyes from the paper, her voice cold as she spoke.

"What is the meaning of this?"

At that, the youngest of the group smirked and bowed mockingly.

"Why," he smiled, "Godaime-sama, we're merely taking out the trash as we were hired to do."

* * *

Sasuke stared stone faced at the picture he held in his hands.

When Team 7 was none the wiser, and when life was not as harsh, none of them had realized a time had to come.

He stared at the palm of his right hand, his eyes narrowing as it closed tightly.

With his lips drawn into a thin line, Sasuke flung the flimsy picture aside, outside of the window.

He didn't even bother to watch as the night wind carried it off into the darkness. After all, they were all, at some point, bound to meet once again in that place where even light could not reach…

_You can't hate enough…that's why you're so weak. Why are you even bothering if you're so weak?_

_Why bother if you're so weak that you can't even comfort a __**friend? **__Someone you regard as close as a __**brother?**__ Though, I suppose that term's lost on you…_

Sasuke pounded the wall.

"Shut up," he ground out. "Shut up."

* * *

Sakura stared almost unblinkingly at the picture of Team 7.

When had they all started to change?

Or rather, when had _Naruto_ started to change?

"Start falling in love…" she murmured quietly. "…start noticing others in love…"

Sakura remembered the times when he would follow her around—so close to stalking—when she would punch him in the face and wherever would be harmful—she missed that kind of ignorance on both their parts—when Hinata would love Naruto so obviously, and he was the only one who didn't know.

They had all changed.

One way or another, they had all changed.

"Shit." She whispered, suddenly remembering.

Sakura sat herself up from lying on her bed, the picture left on her pillow as she made her way to her calendar, her eyes drawn to a red circle.

"…what does it mean…?" She asked herself, her eyes never leaving the words imprinted in the circle. "…what does it mean, when we're told to circle our calendars and wait for 'Judgement Day'?"

Sakura could not forget the events that had happened within the past forty-eight hours and then some. She would never be able to truly forget...

But something about Kakashi-sensei's announcement and the 'Judgement Day', seemed to align with each other.

A chill made its way to her spine.

It was just her imagination…right?

* * *

"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune inquired. "What was that all about?"

The men had left with smiles, jeers and laughs, all without displaying a single sign of respect towards the Hokage—that is, if you could call fake smiles a sign of respect, as though you were going to pierce a knife right through her forehead any minute.

Shizune had constantly been at her wit's end, from their arrival up to when the young man who had smiled had laughed, "Aren't you glad that the demon plaguing your village will soon be rid?"

"Shizune," Tsunade spoke, her voice sounding as though her life had been drained from her. She looked weak as she set the paper back down with shaking hands and sat back in her chair. Her eyebrows furrowed as she rubbed her temples. "Bring me some sake."

Concerned for both Naruto-kun and for Tsunade-sama, Shizune actually allowed Tsunade what she wanted.

The next several moments were spent in silence as Tsunade completely ignored the cup and placed the sake bottle to her lips, drinking greedily.

"Tsunade-sama?" Shizune asked finally, when Tsunade pounded the container back onto her desk, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. Her breathing was heavy and her eyes narrowed, glowering at the doorway. "What's wrong? …what happened back there…?"

"Naruto." Tsunade growled, reaching into her desk drawer and pulling out another bottle of sake.

That was all that Shizune needed to hear before she understood. "I'll take the paper away, Tsunade-sama." She said quietly. "I'll stop them from distributing it."

"It's too late." Tsunade waved a hand at her, calming down enough to _pour_ herself a cup instead of chugging it all down in one go. Rubbing at her temples, she sipped tentatively at the cup, as though it was her life's support, a precious fluid. "…they've done it even before seeing me."

Shizune was enraged. "But that's-!" She cut herself off, to avoid spouting obscenities. "T-Tsunade-sama, you're not allowed to publically distribute anything that is not prior approved by the Hokage and the Council!"

"Apparently, they already went to the Council." Tsunade murmured into her sake.

"What?"

"And they gave them the same contract, so much time to make duplicates…" Tsunade grumbled, pouring herself another cup.

Shizune stared at the contract as she picked it up from the floor, where Tsunade had tossed it while yelling at the group to _GET OUT_ and _NEVER SHOW YOUR FACES HERE _**AGAIN**_._ Her eyes read each line slowly and carefully before they darkened.

"This is…" she breathed.

"Only the first half of the page was distributed." Tsunade told her. "The Daimyo had a least that much sense to avoid causing a revolt."

Shizune did not answer that, only reading out a select sentence of the second half of the page in a low whisper, more to herself to understand than anything else. "…_in cause of this, Uzumaki Naruto is now…"_ At once, she snapped, looking up with a frantic expression, running to the front of Tsunade's desk and pounding it with both hands so that the woman looked up at her.

"Shizune?"

"Tsunade-sama!" Shizune felt like screaming. "This…you can't allow…!"

"It's out of my hands, Shizune." Tsunade said quietly. "…it's already been deployed."

"But Tsunade-sama, surely you can use the ANBU-!"

"_Shizune."_ At that tone of voice, Shizune stopped cold and stared at her mentor, whose lips offered no smile of comfort, whose eyes were as cold and hard as steel. "Do you think I haven't thought of that? Or for anything _else_ at that matter? Do you think I would run away willingly, retract my fangs from those who wish to disturb what should be left alone?!"

_That's right. _Shizune realized, and her heart sank. Those men had the ANBU's power on their side…even the ANBU who were strongly against this idea would not able to complain or go against orders. Because they had no such say in something like this…

…that was why the Kyuubi no Kitsune couldn't have been taken down, defeated, so much more easily those years ago.

Because the ANBU back then had been personally serving as the Daimyo's bodyguards in a country that was barely outside his own. Because the Daimyo had been so paranoid that the other Lords were going to kill him when no one gave a damn about his fat, stingy hide.

Shizune did not meet her eyes, lowering them. "…sorry."

"It's alright, Shizune." Tsunade closed her eyes. "Because if anyone's going to be sorry, it'd better be that idiot of a Daimyo for give the a-okay to such a thing."

Shizune cracked a smile, but her heart wasn't in it. Neither of theirs were as they silently contemplated what would happen.

* * *

Just as Naruto was about to escape from the words that seemed to echo again and again each time he looked at the Academy, he collapsed onto his knees, his arms shaking under his own weight and beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. Each breath and gasp was a fight for air, a fight…!

His body shook uncontrollably, and Naruto coughed and hacked as his body seemed to react badly to something.

Somehow, the sunset had turned into the dead of night, and the presence of other humans as well as the overwhelming stench of blood surrounded him.

Slowly, he unraveled himself from his crouching position, but did not stand up straight all the way. His eyes looked back from left to right, taking in what he could before it could be too late for him to know anything. It was hard to see around him, but he had his senses—he could hear, he could feel.

Movements in the air were not hard to tell once sight was out of the question…

His eyes adjusted themselves and Naruto saw what he saw.

Five before him, surrounding him like the curved line of a semi circle, all facing him while leaving no opening. He guessed there were more behind him. His feet, placed a little bit more shoulder width apart in terms of diagonal distance from the other, slowly inched back. His eyes never left the masks of those who were clothed in black, nor did they leave the weapons they held with practiced ease.

The sound of a kunai embedding itself near the back of his right heel let it be known to his trained ears that his hunch had been right.

"So what did I do?" he asked quietly, shifting his right heel all the way back so that it touched the edge of the kunai. Naruto inched his left leg back as well, before he stopped, not trusting himself to move any further, to risk anything else. It was already enough that he felt like he was going to die. After all…

You just didn't send more than a single ANBU against a single Genin. His throat strangled up, and Naruto forced himself not to choke on his fear.

In the air, there was also an indescribable tension, something that would not allow his shoulders to unwind, nor allow his breath to leave him. As though time had frozen still with the clock ticking the last moments he had of his life, Naruto somehow felt like he could not move, frozen still.

The only sign that he was still able to feel, was the fact that he felt a slight trickle of sweat run down his brow.

Within a few seconds, Naruto felt several kunai against his neck, and amongst other places.

The blades of the kunai cut into front of his neck, and several on the back. He could not move his torso in a way to fall down and heal from this because it was centered between two straight, thin blades that could easily slice him in two.

Naruto did not want to hear it, the sound of a mace pounding against the rooftop, growing louder and louder.

The reaction the roof shingles had against such a heavy and deadly weapon was to leap up from their places each time it pounded against a portion of the roof.

He swallowed, feeling as though someone had forced down something like cloth into his throat to prevent him from breathing.

Frozen in a position where his body wailed for mercy, but where weapons warningly sliced his skin and drew fresh lines of blood, Naruto had no idea what was going to happen next.

His heart began to resonate and copy the same pace as the mace as it grew heavier and heavier.

His ears recognized the sound of some sai being removed, but he didn't realize it until he fell to his knees, the weapons piercing into his skin and through his neck, that it had already been jabbed straight into his spine.

Naruto fell onto his front with his arms and limbs and entire body as weak as though they weren't even there. Somehow, he managed to fall onto the side of his face, and watched without really understanding as several pairs of _zori_ dispersed from his view.

He heard silence, before he heard the trickle of blood.

Then pain, agony as each weapon was viciously yanked out of his body, reacting with a scream, a yell something his throat made as though he had finally been able to breath. Then all sound was cut off from him as his throat itself felt like it had been chopped out.

Naruto was vaguely aware of the tip of a katana blade reaching under his chin and pulling his face up. His eyes were struggling to stay open as his brain dully noted the fact that it had to shut down or risk the possibility of survival completely.

_Maybe_, his brain reasoned a naïve person's thoughts, _they'll let us go if we play dead._

_They won't_, his common sense honed from years at the Academy spoke, _because dead shinobi will only be dead if you dismember them, cut off their heads and burn the body. Keep your eyes open. We need to stay alive…we need to stay awake._

It was easier said than done.

His body agreed more with his brain than his common sense, and was sluggishly ordering his eyelids to close automatically. He caught himself a few times, forcing his eyes open, but it was like fighting against a flood.

It was inevitable…yet he still fought, without purpose, without realization, because he couldn't remember why. It was just doing it that made off with his energy.

He caught blurry views of masks in his eyes as they opened and closed, opened and closed—each time, smaller than the last, before his eyes were barely a slit open, clouded over as his breathing began to still.

There was silence in the air, before a deadly voice laced with nothing but itself made itself heard to all in the vicinity. It was clear, loud, and made Naruto jealous. Why could this person speak so clearly, so powerfully, so _well?_

The voice was like a lullaby to him, an invitation to close his eyes. But then the words themselves made him stay in the state of his body, made him fight to stay awake, made at least, a little portion of his brain realize what was happening.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Said the voice, loud to everyone else, but quiet in his own ears. "You are charged with treason to Konohagakure and stand accused of consipiring against the Daimyo of Fire Country. Thus, your punishment will be assigned accordingly."

* * *

"Hinata."

At once, she stood up, looking incredibly flushed. "H-hai, O-Otou-sama?!"

"I'd like to speak with you," Hiashi's voice was strangely calm, "about a certain subject."

"W-What would t-that be, O-Otou-sama?" Hinata asked nervously. It was rare that Hiashi would ever sound so calm when he was not enraged around her, or ice cold. She did not like the look of things as it forebode something awful. "W-Would you like to sit, O-Otou-sama?"

Hiashi looked hesitant, before he spoke in affirmation. "Very well. This conversation will probably take quite a while."

Something in her heart sank at those words, and Hinata swallowed, but forced herself to remain calm and steady herself. She hid the nervousness and the fear she felt and offered him a seat on the other side of the table, before reseating herself at sieza position on the mat.

"Would…w-would you like t-tea?" She offered timidly, afraid that he'd lash out by her. Hinata was prepared for him to start yelling, but was startled into silence when Hiashi nodded and spoke very clearly.

"I would."

Hinata stared at him for a few seconds, frozen.

"…Hinata." Hiashi said after a while. "My tea?"

"E-eh? O-oh, y…yes!" Flustered, she poured the tea into a new cup, but spilt some of it on the flooring. If Hiashi noticed this—which he probably, for certain, most likely did—he made no comment on it. He did not even pause to look irked and annoyed.

This made Hinata all the more scared.

…why was her father acting like this?

Her heart pounded in her throat so loudly she was afraid he'd hear and immediately make her burst into tears in his interrogation. She was already far too nervous, far too scared of what he would've done to her, to have such a calm heart. Just a few words could make her have a cardiac arrest.

Hinata nearly did when she heard her father say the next few words, just after he took a sip of his tea and took his time to enjoy this, while Hinata shook on the other side of the table in fear, in fear of what was to happen next.

"Hinata." her father said calmly, quietly, his eyes locking onto hers. "We need to talk."

Hinata flinched, but somehow, she managed to unfreeze enough to hear him after he had spoken her name.

"T-Talk about who?" she squeaked out, uncharacteristically assuming it was a person.

Hiashi raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "If I'd known you'd have already had a slight inkling to what I was talking about, I wouldn't have wasted any time at all being courteous." His voice sounded tired, but after he finished speaking, his gaze hardened back into that of the man who was her father.

"We need to talk." He said. "About Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

_SLAP!_

_Within a few moments, the youth was reduced to tears as she stormed away shouting words that cut through him like a knife. Before he knew it, with his hand pressed against the cheek that stung with the feeling of her blow, tears were falling down his face._

"_She's gone, onii-san." A little voice piped up._

_He turned to see a little boy with yellow hair sit at the bench on the other side of the hedge. The child wasn't facing him, but the adolescent had an odd feeling that the boy had been watching him…watching him and—_

_His heart tightened as he looked miserably down at his feet._

"_Don't worry, onii-san."__ The little voice continued. "I get hurt all the time."_

"_Not like this," he replied. "I don't think you get hurt like this."_

"_What?" The boy turned and looked at him with the bluest eyes he'd ever seen. "What do you mean, onii-san?"_

"_What's your name?"_

"_Naruto."_

"_I see…well, I'm Ryouta." He said quietly, hand still on his cheek, but his eyes raised to look at the child's eyes. "Naruto-kun, when you're in love…when you want to be with someone very much, you don't want things like this to happen."_

"_But she hurt you."_

"_I still love her. That's why it hurts here." He gripped at his heart, and Naruto copied it. Then, Ryouta noticed something. "Naruto-kun…can you come out from behind the hedge?" The boy gave him a confused look, but complied, tottering out._

_He was bloodied…_

"_Are you okay, Ryouta-nii-san?" Naruto asked politely._

_Ryouta stuttered something, staring shocked at Naruto's body, turning purple and brown. At that, Naruto just grinned, though it hurt his face and he stopped smiling._

"_It's alright, onii-san. It always happens, so I've sort of gotten used to it." Naruto beamed up at him. "So, we're both hurt! That's okay, because…!"_

"_Not okay…" Ryouta murmured softly. "It's not okay, because you're hurt on your body, I'm hurt in my heart."_

"_Onii-san?" Naruto cocked his head to the side. "I don't get it. I'm the only one who's _**really** _and honestly hurt, right?"_

"_You're not the only one who's hurt." The boy told him quietly. "There are many ways to hurt. But the heart hurts will the worst. I'm hurt in my heart…and you're probably going to get hurt there someday too."_

_Naruto stared up at him with a confused expression on his face. "…I don't get it."_

_The teenager did not answer him, and turned to run after his girlfriend__, who shouted at him, hit him, but he still hung on. They were both crying._

_Naruto watched them with big eyes. "…she _slapped_ you, onii-san. Are you dumb?" he asked no one but the wind._

* * *

Hinata stared at him awhile, before she looked down at the paper he placed onto the table.

"...J-Judgement…?" She slowly read. "…demon?"

Somewhere, her heart stopped.

"It's…at dawn…?"

She looked up questioningly at him, despite already knowing. Hiashi spoke what she knew, and within a few seconds, Hinata was reduced to tears.

"The execution of Uzumaki Naruto."

* * *

End...?


	10. Chapter 10

_Die, just to live again._

_Live, just to die again._

_Believe._

_Just to be you again._

_Cry._

…_on your own_

_For Eternity._

_

* * *

_

**Chapter 10**

* * *

He awoke.

He hadn't thought he'd wake up.

Or maybe, he had fallen asleep somewhere and couldn't remember ever falling asleep.

It was weird like that. Somehow, nothing made sense, nor did he want to make sense of it all.

His bones ached—Naruto noticed that the instant he twitched awake, a trained notion of far away Academy days as a check for any bound weaponry. Granted, you'd probably be killed for that once your abductors discovered you were awake, but one little twitch couldn't hurt to check for full body immobilization.

Funny though, how his body ached something sore—like something had happened to him.

He didn't remember, but Naruto felt that his body was slow and sluggish—not good if he had to run anywhere.

Run?

His mind slowly processed it. Why did he need to run, it questioned. Naruto's didn't know either, but he squeezed his eyes tightly even further before hesitantly opening them.

What he saw brought his heart to a standstill, in an instinctive attempt to preserve his life.

However, it was already too late.

Whom he assumed as his assailant thwacked a knife blade just inches before his throat on the wooden floorboards.

Naruto raised his eyes to a seemingly familiar masked face.

_Thwack. Thwackk. _The pounding of a mace.

Naruto shut his eyes tight again and opened them up once more. The masked person was still there, now twisting out the blade from the floorboard.

Wait…wooden…?

Naruto shifted his eyes around him and found a circle of what he slowly came to recognize as ANBU.

Why so much ANBU for a single Genin?

And then he remembered.

"You—"

* * *

"Sasuke-kun..."

The Uchiha looked up at mention of his name, and nodded at once in recognition of his teammate, before turning back to the scroll he had been reading.

Sakura looked torn, watching him ignore her without a care, but somehow, the feeling inside her gut would not settle.

"…Sasuke…"

That hit him. At once, Sasuke looked up, his eyes boring into hers as one of his eyebrows raised.

"What is it?" He asked, short, curt.

Sakura swallowed, turning back to glance around their surroundings. Even at this hour, the library was filled with people. Why?

She turned back to Sasuke, who was still watching, still waiting for the answer. Her mouth felt dry as she tried to think about her hypothesis, her opinion, what she would say to him, how she could prove it to him, how they would do what they needed to do after that…!

There was too much to think ahead about. There was not enough time, she knew that, there was not enough, not at all.

She glanced at a shinobi who was carefully scrutinizing the huge assortment of scrolls before him, as though casually glancing at them and contemplating about which one he'd like to read first. But Sakura knew better. His pose said everything.

He was stiff, and he was thinking too long. She recognized that shinobi as the one who often came to the library archives to rouse up his friends. He was always loud and never soft. All his actions were impulsive—just like Naruto, she couldn't help but think.

Her mind felt dizzy, because this was so strange. When she had left home, the streets had been packed. When she had gone to visit Ino, her family's shop had been packed, with Ino nowhere to be found. In the training grounds for the other Genin teams, there were strangers practicing there instead of the usual Rookie Nine—even Team 7's normal training grounds.

Kakashi-sensei, nowhere to be in sight.

And a hard-gazed man in his place, storming over and throwing her out while his Genin team looked at her with smug sneers on their otherwise emotionless faces.

It…

In a sense, it was all…so…

"Erie…" She whispered. "Was this all planned?"

At once, the shinobi at the scrolls stiffened and Sasuke narrowed his eyes, coldly turning his back on her and standing up to roll the scroll back up.

"Sakura." Sasuke said, his voice monotone and devoid of anything. "Just calm down." If there had been anything, she didn't notice it, for Sakura was much too occupied with the shinobi at the scroll rack who had just _too_ casually selected a scroll and opening it to view the inside.

The scroll was empty—_blank_, of course, because that was the blank scrolls pile you could take and pay for at the front desk of the library. And yet it was still held open, like he wasn't really concentrating.

Immediately, Sakura rushed forward and grasped Sasuke by the hand, shaking him.

"Sasuke-kun, we have to hurry-!"

Sasuke held up a hand, and she stopped.

"Calm down."

"But I _can't_, that's the thing-! Sasuke-kun, I think Naruto—"

Immediately, Sakura felt the atmosphere turn heavy, and Sasuke sighed, shaking his head.

"Come with me." He said, depositing the scroll back onto the shelf. "We'll have to go there ourselves, apparently."

As she hurriedly followed him out, Sakura couldn't help but wonder why his speed was so…so…

"Why aren't we hurrying!? Naruto needs—"

"Stop saying his name. You're drawing attention to us."

"What?" Sakura was confused. "What are you talking about, Sasuke-kun? There's no one here!"

A snort. "You've figured out that much, at the very least, but you still don't… Don't tell me you haven't noticed it yet, Sakura?" He stopped in the middle of the road, hands in his pockets. "This place is deserted. Quite a change from before, isn't it?"

When Sakura looked around, she saw he was right. That was strange…so why…?

"This," Sasuke continued, not looking at her, "is en route to Hokage Mountain. The streets near Hokage Mountain are the most populated of them all, but yet we see minor roads being filled up and major ones vacant. Why is that? To prevent. Who? Probably us. The action? From interfering, that's what I'm thinking. Stop us from leaving."

"But why would we need to leave?" She asked.

"Sakura." Sasuke's eyes were upon her once more as he took out one of his hand from his pockets and gestured to the sacred mountain. "…up there, the entire village can be seen with the eyes of the shinobi."

Sakura looked at him for a few moments. "…this…" she whispered, "Has something to do with Naruto? Do you think?" She added, a little softer at the end.

Sasuke did not reply, and only turned to look at Hokage Mountain, especially at one face of the Hokage, as though intruiged. "We couldn't leave Konoha in this direction if we tried. We couldn't even _help._" He spoke softly, and Sakura had a feeling he wasn't talking to her. His voice had a tone f the slightest amusement. "Not even as 'teammates', or 'friends'."

Her eyes followed his gaze and they rested on the face of the Yondaime.

What did Sasuke find so interesting about-?

She stopped.

"Sasuke…" She whispered, eyes never leaving the face of the fourth Hokage, "…Naruto…he's…"

Sasuke didn't answer for a while, but he lowered his head and made his way to the Mountain, Sakura noticing and following behind him with a dazed look on her face.

As they passed through the empty streets of Konoha, Sakura couldn't help but feel a chill run down her spine. She looked left, right and behind her, but could never see anyone. It was a complete opposite to what had happened earlier in the day.

Finally, she looked ahead to where Sasuke stood, at the base of the Hokage Mountain and staring straight up at what seemed to be several figures on the face of the fourth Hokage carved into the time-worn rock.

"Fire, Sakura. Do you know what that means?"

"He's going to die." She whispered, in a strangled voice, recognizing the symbol for what it really was instead of the kanji for fire. It was an age-old method developed long ago by shinobi who still hadn't mastered the creation of sealing. What they did was…_inhumane…_

Sasuke paused just as he was about to speak, and turned his attention to her, watching as she slowly stepped back and sank to her knees, trembling. He looked up once more before shaking his head and making his way towards his teammate.

A hand placed itself on her shoulder just slightly before he walked passed her.

"He's not going to die." Sasuke told her. "He's not going to die because he's Naruto. Not yet."

Somehow, Sakura was half comforted by this and half not. The other half briefly wondered what Sasuke thought about all this, but when she glanced at his departing back, she only saw him still walking, somehow, without a care.

"…Sasuke-kun…?"

* * *

_I recognize where I am._

So he was still in Konoha.

_I know where I am._

So he was on the Hokage Mountain.

_But I don't understand why._

For treason, apparently, but when had he done that?

Naruto neatly dodged, a very nice from the textbook move, but was quickly subdued as his mind yielded to the pain long inflicted before his awakening. He slowly recoiled from the blow, allowing his body to bend into the attack.

As he collided against the rocks, he felt something _crack_ and instantly winced.

And then…

…time stopped.

* * *

Graceful.

Pleasant.

Silent.

Peaceful.

Beautiful.

Cold.

_Reality._

Slowly, Hinata went through the motions, her body having memorized the steps and movements long ago.

How long ago had it been? Well over the time she had been with Kurenai-sensei, of course, well over the time she had been cast aside as useless and not worth placing effort on.

Even though the stifling and grueling practices had been harsh, and would've been even now, to her body, Hinata still yearned to be able to practice with someone who cared. She wished her father cared, she wished her mother had been alive to care, she wished for, at least, one person to care.

One person.

The image of Naruto came up in her mind, his grin, his ever happy strength.

Hinata slowly increased the speed, her eyes closing.

While she hid in the shadows of her own heart and regrets, Naruto moved onto a world that was not big enough for him. She stayed in the world that overwhelmed who she was. The vast difference between them should've been enough warning for her to have given up on him.

But it hadn't been that easy.

Soon, she felt the pull of her limbs as they began to tire.

_Not yet…not __**yet…**_

Why had time passed?

Why had the effects of reality not placed themselves onto her when she had been younger, when she had been innocent?

Why had she been sheltered, only to be cast aside?

A lot of things went into Hinata's head, all cramming up and unable to be answered.

Had she not tried her best? Had that not been enough? A small, indignant voice from her younger days piped up, before it disappeared without even a whisper as it was pushed back down by her overwhelming fear.

Fear of no acceptance. Fear of rejection. Fear of hatred, fear of misunderstanding. Fear of new things, fear of change.

Hinata was scared of so much.

She stopped, panting and collapsed onto her knees, gasping for air.

Why was she so weak?

Naruto…

…Naruto…

Hinata started to cry.

She stopped suddenly when she heard footsteps behind her, but the tears kept on flowing, and her shoulders shaking. Hinata turned, but before she could say anything or at least take in their appearances, there was a sharp blow to her stomach and she lost consciousness.

_

* * *

_

Naruto looked up at them all. It hadn't literally occurred to him that this too, was what Kyuubi was possible of.

It made him dizzy.

"You know," said the one before, a queer smile on his face, "You could have very well been done with it and called me out."

Naruto wildly shook his head, his eyes never leaving the figure before him.

That one stood, looking exactly like he, with only exception of red eyes, blood-red hair, the more pronounced whisker markings and the overall presence. Kyuubi looked mildly amused at his reaction, and bowed mockingly.

"I only wish to serve you up until the time you officially give up your body, my Vassal."

Naruto blanched, and immediately yelled out as though scalded in hot water. "Leave me alone! Get away from me, you monster!"

Kyuubi had the dignity to look insulted. "You don't see me calling you names that are held in the superficial aspects of your human societies. I scarce say that's an equivalent exchange, but," He sighed, shrugging, "If that'll make you happy, so be it."

Naruto had already turned away, his attention now on the frozen beings around him. "So…this is…you froze time?" He didn't like the feeling that crept up his arms and bound him to the being before him. He hated it.

"I merely implemented a simple procedure I've been hearing about. Nothing more, nothing less…though it is, rather aggravating." Kyuubi made his way to Naruto's side. "My Vassal, when will you give up?" He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You're not Kyuubi." Naruto said quietly, smacking the hand away and leaping back. He readied himself to attack, hands at where his kunai were—oh, wait. He blinked. He didn't have them. Nevertheless, he scowled at him, and made the seal of Kage Bunshin.

"I am, very much so."

"Kyuubi's a _demon!_ He doesn't talk so…so…!"

"I am actually a rather refined Bijuu myself, you see. After all, it does pay to act civilized. Especially when you're making a contract."

"Contract." Naruto's voice was tied, deadpanned, and his eyes didn't believe Kyuubi at all. "_Right._"

"Whether or not you choose to believe me is up to you." Kyuubi smiled. "However, you _are_ my Vassal. That, you cannot change."

"It's '_vessel'_." Naruto said bluntly.

"Vassal. You work under me, you know. After all, we must welcome it. It will mark the beginning of a new era."

Naruto's eyes were hard. "Welcome _what?"_

"The apocalypse, of course." Kyuubi grinned cheerily, before his whole outlook darkened and he was suddenly beside Naruto, encircling him with chakra. "Stop struggling," He ordered, "It doesn't matter. You can't stay alive like this."

"I've stayed alive like this and I'll stay alive after, you damn fox!" Naruto shouted, flailing to get at him. "That's it! Kage Bunshin no Ju—"

"A little bird told me your infatuation." Kyuubi smiled as though he was being forced to eat someone's shit. "I find it an abomination. A sickening abomination that stands in the way of our goal."

"_Our_ goal?!" Naruto shouted, enraged, "How about _your_ goal! Leave Hinata out of this!"

"How clichéd." Kyuubi sighed, looking disappointed, before he smiled and perked up again cheerily. His outlook was complete opposite of the swirling aura and mix of chakra around him. It oozed out, and lashed out at Naruto, who screamed. "Oddly enough, you scream like a boy."

"That's because I _am_ one, retard for brains!" Naruto yelled.

"Moving onto insults, now, are we? What a fickle young Vassal."

Naruto was about to retort and reply in a thousand different ways of how he was _not_ some sort of freaking 'Vassal', and that he'd kick that stupid fox's butt all the way to hell and back. Or, considering Kyuubi's origins…up to heaven and back.

Then, for some reason, Kyuubi's face grew like stone and whatever had been in Naruto's mind and on the tip of his tongue had disappeared completely. He could only stare as the Bijuu turned his head as though gazing off into the distance at something, an unreadable expression on his face.

Suddenly, Naruto found himself being cast aside like a ragdoll.

"Ow! What the hell—"

Before he knew what was happening, Kyuubi had him by the throat on the ground. "I'd very much like to stay and chat like this," Kyuubi smiled, "But it appears some of us aren't very patient with the way things are going."

"W-wha—GCHGK-!" Naruto choked as Kyuubi squeezed harder and harder, not letting up. His hands grasped again Kyuubi's, his breaths coming out ragged, forced and his lungs pleading. His throat was squished and constricted and his vision began to fuzz in and out. "…ea…" He couldn't make out any more words.

Kyuubi's almost grim face was the thing he saw last.

Or maybe, it could've been a hallucination.

Yeah, that's right.

Because the Kyuubi no Kitsune was not like that…

_

* * *

_

Kyuubi watched as the boy passed out due to lack of air. He waited for a few seconds, before retracting his hand, rubbing at the scratches and the blood that Naruto had somehow managed to transfer onto him during the process.

"By the _Hellfire,_ this is getting annoying." So was the boy's plea. He knew what Naruto had been trying to say.

'_Please.'_

He snorted. He had no use for such a weak-willed Vassal, but he had no choice.

With a heavy, irritated sigh, Kyuubi stood up, and turned his gaze back upon where he had been looking before.

"I would really appreciate it," he said, almost wistfully, "If you wouldn't watch me like that. It almost makes me want to…revert to a state of rebellion" Then, he turned behind him, and smiled. "Because I daresay, being watched makes me itching to kill. It's very unpleasant, you know."

The figure that seemingly appeared there had a single blank mask over the visage. "Kyuubi-dono," spoke the raspy voice of a young woman, "don't make me report you." Over her body was a long cloak that covered down until her calves.

"I wouldn't like that very much, you know." Kyuubi frowned. "You are quite the tattle-tale. Are you a daddy's little girl?"

"_SILENCE!_ I will _not_ be spoken to like that! You _will_ adhere!" She demanded, grabbing the front of his shirt.

'_Did you really believe that I'd be that negligently stupid as to completely disregard that?'_ Kyuubi thought, feeling quite and very much like he'd like nothing better than to give her a good punch in the face. Instead, he spoke a very blunt reply.

"If this is an aide of the Master, I daresay the world will end sooner than anything else." Kyuubi sighed, rubbing his temples. "Would you mind letting go as I obviously want my personal space and refuse to partake in such trivial arguments on rank." His eyes steeled themselves. "I am, as you would say, the very embodiment of one in a rank that is impossible to overthrow in such circumstances."

She trembled. "I'll _report _you for your insolence! You're not following the plan! You have to kill the stupid human!!"

"And I will." Kyuubi closed his eyes. "Because he is my Vassal."

"Vassal?" She repeated, letting his shirt go. "_Vassal!?"_ High-pitched laughter erupted from her. "Kyuubi-dono, are you _mad!? _A _**Vassal**_ of all things to call It!"

"I call the kit whatever I like." Kyuubi put up a hand to stop her as she tried to speak against it. "I know that's just how it isn't done. But I do like to do things that aren't quite expected. You can't really think I'll follow the rules _all_ the way, can you?"

A huge sigh escaped from under the mask. "I can't, it's just not in the regulations." It sounded like she was so disappointed, but she instantly lifted her own spirits. "I've got to go." She said immediately, almost instantly turning to go. "I have to update the Master on what's happened."

Her tone was smug.

Kyuubi narrowed his eyes. He knew what that meant, but shrugged it aside. "Well, you won't need to. "

She whirled around. "And why _not!?_"

"You'll be dead." Kyuubi spoke quietly, but he smiled beautifully, "I'll need you for my plan, you see. Plus, the Master _did_ mention he was getting quite tired of you. You know far too much, so this way, I'll kill about—what? Four or so birds with one stone, yes?"

She froze. "You aren't…planning…" She ripped off her mask. "You wouldn't _dare! _There's no way you can kill me without a body, I won't allow i—"

Kyuubi stopped smiling, and picked up Naruto's limp body.

"Goodbye." He spoke simply, and entered his host's earthly form. And in Naruto's body, Kyuubi became one with him.

She inched backwards, trembling, shaking. Just as she was about to run for it, Kyuubi had her by the leg.

She screamed, as he ripped her throat out and began to tear at her abdomen. The organs loosened and fell completely soiled with blood on top of each other, creating a rather serene picture covered over.

Kyuubi blooded those hands and bowed his head.

"I leave this to you, my Vassal."

Blood red eyes glinted in darkness that had become.

* * *

For some reason, Konoha was more bustling than ever, with screams, shouting and arguments.

"What's going on?" Sakura asked, panting as she pulled back her hood. Today, for once, Ino's family's flower shop was not open—a good thing too, seeing as the mob of the citizens did not seem to be doing anything but blocking the way. "Ino, I am _so_ glad you guys closed for the week."

"Well, what else could we do?" Ino looked annoyed. "A lot of people just come in and just lounge around, not buying anything, not doing anything. It's not that they destroy the merchandise, or steal it, it's just that—" The blonde gave a short sigh and shook her head, her arms akimbo as she stood at surveyed the several arrangements of flowers she had been making. "It gets on your nerve, kinda…"

"Like it's just a bad dream, I _know_." Sakura nodded in sympathy. "Need help?"

"Can you? Awwwww…is Saku-chan actually be nice today?" Ino teased. Sakura rolled her eyes.

"If you don't want me to help—"

"Don't be like that," Ino laughed. "Anyway, the flowers—do me a favour, pleeeeaaaaase, Sakura?" She clapped her hands together . "Please, do me this one favour?"

"What is it?" Sakura sighed, but then Ino had already pulled her coat on and was out the door.

"Make sure you water all the plants, the orders for the arrangements are set on the table, and then go out and deliver them for me! Thanks, Sakura, you're such a pal!"

"H-hey, Ino, _wait!!_" Sakura had her hand out ready to catch her friend, but the door was slammed and by the time she reached the door and yanked it open… "Oh…_great…_" She growled distastefully, as the crowd outside the shop started to come in. "H-hey, _WAIT,_ you guys can't come in!!"

Through sheer will and effort, she someone managed to lock them out.

"Are you freaking _serious!? …_how many people are _out there?!"_ Sakura glanced once more at the glass windows and face-faulted. "I'll be _blessed_ to get _home._" She sighed, before turning turning back to the flowers. "…Ino…I _hate_ you. Darnit, I'll _kill_ her the next time I see her!" With an exasperated sigh, Sakura made her way to the flowers.

The first arrangement on the list was…

"…that's weird." Sakura peered at it curiously. "…none of these flowers look that good with each other. It's so random… Who'd make an order like this?"

Nevertheless, she turned her attention back to the flowers.

Anemone—Forsaken.

"…that's weird." Sakura commented, recalling several instances in which she had to help Ino during their younger days at the flower shop. Ino had been bragging all about what she knew, and somehow, they had all stuck in her head all these years. "And the next is…okay, this is just _weird._"

It was. All of the flowers looked like they had just been randomly chosen. There wasn't even a flower to base the theme around!! However had requested these flowers was an idiot.

"So an Anemone, a white Chrysanthemum, a Geranium…"

"Forsaken, Truth, Stupidity—or is that 'folly' or something?" A voice asked, as someone peered over her shoulder. Sakura gave a shout of surprise, and shoved them away.

"W-who are—the store is closed right now!" She sputtered, turning to the person who quickly regained their balance. "Y-You can't just _come _in here and—"

"My apologies, Haruno Sakura-san." Smiled a youth, white haired and pink eyed. His hair was short and slicked back, those several strands of hair stuck out from the parting in his hair. He wore a simple black turtleneck under a similarly black tunic with red cuffs at the ends of his sleeves and at his shoulders and waistline. His pants, unsurprisingly, where also black. "My name is Clisthert, very nice to meet you."

His accent was rather slow and his vowels were very weird, but Sakura managed to understand him.

"Uhm…Ku…ri…su…"

"It really is a strange name." Clisthert looked thoughtful. "But for the time being, seeing as 'th' is rather difficult…or maybe it's just me…but in any case, feel free to call me Chris. There is absolutely no connection to the before mentioned name, but I digress—I prefer this one over my official one."

"Ku…risu-san, I…" Sakura's head swam at the foreigner. "…who are you?" Then her eyes widened. "…how do you know my name?"

Clisthert smiled, his eyes closed in arcs. "…names say nothing, really. But, Haruno Sakura-san, you are very well known in these parts."

"I-I am?" Sakura stepped back. There was something that just wasn't right about…

"I'm an albino, but that really doesn't say much about me in reality, does it?" Clisthert nodded to himself. "Anyway, I'd like to ask you a few questions, Haruno Sakura-san, about Uzumaki Naruto-san."

Sakura's hands tightened around one of the vases behind her on the table she had backed into. "…I'd never sell Naruto out." She hissed, before she flung it at him, taking the surprised look on Clisthert as a moment to recollect herself and move herself behind him.

Clisthert froze as the tip of her kunai dug itself lightly into his throat, quick and controlled.

"…who sent you!?" Sakura demanded. Clisthert slowly turned his head to look at her, but she dug her kunai further in. "No strange movements! I'll cut your throat if you don't tell me within the next five seconds!"

"Haruno Sakura-san, this isn't a very nice thing to do…I'm rather new at this country myself, you know…so I can't really understand all that you're sayin—"

The kunai was drawing blood.

"Two seconds." Sakura hissed.

Clisthert was quiet for a second. "You're awfully untalkative." He commented.

"I could say the same to you." She shot back, right leg slowly inching back in the case that he drew a lethal weapon. Clisthert laughed, as though he knew what she had been thinking, eyes closed in arcs. He brought both hands up and Sakura gave a start, but stayed right where she was.

"I hold no weapon, Haruno Sakura-san." Clisthert said in a cheery voice. "Now about Uzumaki Naruto-san—"

"I won't tell someone like you where he is!"

"I wasn't really going to ask about that, but as you're so kind to off—"

"I'll kill you if you don't tell me _right now_!!"

Clisthert stopped smiling, and lowered his hands, his eyes opening. "I highly doubt that, Haruno Sakura-san," he spoke, his words icy and cold. His left hand came up and took hold of the kunai blade, slowly dragging it out of his throat. "Seeing as you're still simply a Genin. Not much to worry about."

Blood started to spray out from the wound, and Sakura instantly jumped away to about a few metres distance, watching him through wary eyes. Clisthert just touched his neck, where the deep cut had been made, and sealed it shut with a finger than slowly touched along the length.

"Who sent you!?" Sakura hissed, readying an escape plan in her mind.

There were two exits on the bottom floor where she was now. The one where Clisthert was standing, and one behind the counter and around the back doors. On the upper flower was a set of stairs that could lead up to the roof, but Sakura didn't want to risk it, if it turned out that one of that man's comrades was already there in the wait.

"The Master, of course." Clisthert smiled cheerily, his eyes in their signature closed arcs. "The apocalypse is coming. We must welcome the last member to the group—the preparation time is growing short, I'm sure you'll understand."

"Who's this 'Master'?"

"Oh, just someone very, very strong." Clisthert smiled.

"Why do you serve him!?"

"I used to be able to only change night into day and day into night, but with the Master's help, I've grown stronger." Clisthert opened his pink eyes. "…Uzumaki Naruto-san is needed for Kyuubi-dono to finally play his part. The Master is waiting. We'll need at least one Bijuu, of course."

"But you don't need Naruto for this!" Sakura shouted.

"True," Clisthert nodded, "But Kyuubi-dono has no body at the moment, and is trapped within the body of Uzumaki Naruto-san and cannot escape and seek a new one within the time constraints. Therefore, we have to eradicate that child's existence."

"!" At Sakura's shocked expression, Clisthert nodded again.

"Yes, we'll have to completely destroy him for Kyuubi-dono to play his part in the preparations." Clisthert smiled. "And for that, we'll have to kill off someone close to him."

"I won't go down without a fight!" Sakura shouted, but Clisthert just burst out laughing. "…w…what's so funny!?"

"I was thinking more of the lines of one Hyuuga Hinata-san, but of course, you'll do as well, Haruno Sakura-san." Clisthert looked thoughtful. "But I have my orders. Perhaps, maybe later, little one. Can't have you warning Uzumaki Naruto-san, after all."

He snapped his fingers and pointed at her. The friction created by the snap suddenly brought out a whirl of darkness that was sent careening at her. Sakura dodged, pushing off against the ground, and throwing an array of shuriken at him.

"A distraction, how quaint." Clisthert spoke with a cheery voice but his eyes said nothing of the sort. "Don't tell me you wish to fight with me?"

"Even I'm not that stupid." She said over her shoulder at a Clisthert who suddenly yelled out and collapsed onto his knees, shaking. He did not dodge the sudden volley of shuriken, and they hit him as he struggled to stand back up. Clisthert stumbled, glaring furiously at her, but Sakura just shook her head. "You're weak against genjutsu, aren't you?"

Clisthert froze. "How—"

"I'm using a genjutsu. I've had it on you the instant I placed my kunai at your throat."

Suddenly, Clisthert's body shuddered and he collaped against the ground, blood pooling from his mouth and the prior wound around his neck.

"I see." Clisthert smiled. "I guess that means I've failed, Master." He closed his glazed over eyes with the most effort he could manage. "Do forgive me."

"I won't. Who'd forgive someone like you?" Sakura hissed, but as she turned around, she stopped cold at the sight of a figure walking past her. The blood instinctively drained from her face and her knees quaked. The weapons that had been in her hands fell the flower with various clanks, and she fell to her knees.

"I do believe," the Master said quietly, his eyes closed. "He was talking to me."

* * *

Naruto awoke in a strange place.

All around him was darkness.

"_Come."_ There was a hand that was offered to him. It seemed to emit light all on its own.

Naruto looked at it.

Inside that hand lay power, friends…everything.

That hand would give him anything and everything he would've wanted.

It would've given him satisfaction, actual happiness.

If he would only take that hand, he could get anything he wanted, he could be anyone he wanted to be…Naruto could be _happy._

"_Why are you hesitating? It's only once you'll get this."_

Naruto _did_ want it. He wanted to have the power to keep his precious people safe, he wanted to keep his friends safe, his _family_ happy…even if in this case, his family wasn't really his family, but a group of people he felt happy with.

"_You can make it so that no one is ever hurt again. Don't you want that?"_

Yes, he _did_ want that.

But then again, what _did _he want, exactly?

"I…I'm not sure…"

The voice was silent for a few moments, before the hand disappeared into the darkness.

"_Too bad. You'll never get it back."_

And then Naruto heard a scream.

"_**HINATA!"**_ He yelled.

* * *

"I will not kill you." Came the cold voice that brought the icy atmosphere down upon them.

Sakura could not move aside from trembling and shaking—from the shock that initially came with an inexperienced kill, and from the fact that she knew in her mind that she could not escape. There was no bloodlust from the Master, but…

The man before her wore a long dark cloak that covered his entire body. His hood covered his face, and Sakura wanted nothing more than to run away screaming. There was something about him that was just…_unbearable…!_

"Instinct, huh." The man turned away from her, proceeding to walk towards the still body of Clisthert, stretching out a hand covered in a thick leather glove over it.

Sakura watched in stone silence as something ripped itself out from palm of his hand and ate away at the dead flesh. As she realized what she was watching, her throat grew strained, her stomach felt queasy and her overall being felt sick.

She trembled, closing her eyes and fighting the urge to vomit, and trying to get rid of those images in her mind, as she cradled her head in her hands.

"Tell Uzumaki Naruto that no matter what, Kyuubi-dono will be needed." The Master said, walking past her without a care to her current state of well-being. "To ensure his cooperation, we are taking Hyuuga Hinata with us as a security. As a sign of trust, we will give her to Destiny and Fate. They are, after all, the best judges. And the last thing, to the strongest person in this village…"

_Tsunade-sama?_ Sakura's mind raced. _What's his history with—?_

"Tell Uchiha Sasuke I said hi."

* * *

TBC

* * *

A/N:

So now you got angst plot, lack of anything that really is NaruHina, two hateable OCs that I killed off, a Kyuubi who's so refined he's like from the Victorian era or something, rudeness in the form of _fullname_-san, an OC with a non-Japanese name (_hey, at least it isn't Bob or some weird Western name)_, and you got this author's note. And several other things I hate. You got a rather controlled Kyuubi who doesn't really control Naruto at all (_so therefore, no Kyuubi Naruto)_, and a supposed battle scene with Sakura that really isn't a battle scene at all, and is something I'm gaping at with complete disbelief.

Some things might be confusing, and they might not be where you would want them. In that case, I'm open to any complaints, because I'm deciding that without OCs, there is no plot. There is no plot because a REAL story would not just include everyone known in the Narutoverse, seeing as the world is vast and that basing a story COMPLETELY around Naruto and Hinata is near impossible, if you'd like to try your hand at creating a plot. Which I want to try to do for once.

My opinions:

-Kyuubi is not some big bad fox on rabies/steroids thing that'll eat y'all up (I want a brain on him--a very _sarcastically evil_ sort of evil brain. ...I don't know what I want, either. XD)

-Naruto is not going to still stay a blithering idiot who can't tell that Hinata likes him (so I will shoot myself on OOCness--am I doing okay?)

-Hinata is becoming a crybaby/wimp/Mary-Sue/side character (so I'll try to remedy that, but I'm failing, seeing as I'm putting most of emphasis on Naruto's part—_Naruto is cool. But I can't write him the way I'd like to._) (and don't worry. We'll see her side of the story--I hope--but in all honesty, that might not come until later -)

-Sakura and Sasuke are turning from minor characters to main (surprising, since I thought of only Sasuke, but then they're Naruto's teammates, so they have a right)

-I am trying to take this story somewhere serious (and am failing…_dramatically. I apologize to those who are getting a headache from my changing of writing styles.)_

Somehow this story took a dramatic plot bunny. If you hate it, let me know, and I'll attempt on stomping it flat and redoing the chapter or something. ^^;; Thanks.

* * *


End file.
